Deny Me
by Demetria Reignart
Summary: Warning: MA, Lemon, Citrus, Bondage and kinks galore, this story is not for the innocent   Kagome finds herself in a less than desirable situation that she's helpless to escape from. His will demands her obedience yet she will defy him at every turn.
1. Chapter 1

The last thing I remembered was being struck by that slimy, greenish-brownish snake demon, than everything went black. I'm not sure if my situation has improved from that scenario or not, because now I can't see, my head doesn't hurt and I don't feel dizzy or nauseous so I think I'm healed from the original strike. My hands are tied, I recognize the feel of rope holding me on my feet, stretched out - I think there is a pole that the rope is tied over to keep my hands up, but even worse are the ropes around each ankle pulling my legs apart... not my happy place to be. I don't know what possesses me to wear this uniform to the feudal era but right now I'm wishing I was in pants. My inner thighs were feeling awkwardly sensitive to the cool air in the room, though I guess I don't even know if it's a room, I could be out in the middle of the forest, the pole over my head could be a tree branch for all I know.

I could feel my power tickling up my back kissing the back of my neck as panic and fear started to sink it. I don't remember much of what happened in the next several minutes but my only comfort became the pain that was drawn on from struggling against the rope, they burned into my wrists and ankles, some how I'd managed to twist my arm around arching my back out in the process, the position was less than comfortable, but when you're tied standing up for heaven knows how long little left is comfortable. Than the sound, the soft step that if I hadn't been blind folded I probably wouldn't have heard, but my powers and senses were on over drive right now. I tenses and the moment I did I wished I hadn't, I wished I'd kept struggling and acting like I hadn't noticed them, but when I reacted they laughed, a deep, husky laugh: it sent shivers up my spin. I don't know if there was power in this male's voice or if it was just me, but it felt like there were feathery hands moving over my skin - his power I presume - brushing over me, kissing my skin, leaving me squirming from the unique sensation.

"Hello Kagome..." Again I could feel his power tremble over my flesh, he pronounced my name in prolonged syllables it made the simple phrase sound so much more intimate than it should have, or maybe it was all his power rumbling over my skin as if he were actually touching me. I don't know if it was his gift, the thickness of his voice or if he'd drugged me to make me respond the way I did, but my nipples grew hard, my breasts feeling like they're suffocated in my bra, and that slick wetness building between my thighs, against my sacred lips, making my panties feel rough as my skin felt hyper sensitive. He laughed again and I breathed deeply, a sharp intake of the thick air, I couldn't seem to get enough of it, I heard him approach me, his foot steps deafening in the silence.

His hand was on my cheek and I struggled to move away to keep his hands off me but in my restraints there was little places to go so he caught me, my face to the side. "Are you enjoying yourself?" He asked in a voice that seemed too thick, too sexy for my position, I thought briefly that I should be afraid, terrified but than his hand moved down my cheek and across my neck stopping at my collar. I didn't even realize till he stopped that I had laid my head back, breathing heavily, it seemed inappropriate to be breathing as deeply as I was, like there wasn't enough oxygen in the air around me, but it was actually quite cold, or maybe I just wanted an excuse as to why my nipples remained so hard and taunt under my bra. His claws pushed into my neck and he growled, "Answer your Master."

Master... Master? Only than did the fear hit me, unfortunately my own arousal seemed to play off the fear and the squirming became a more shifting of the hips than anything else; "I have no Master." I was mildly happy when my voice didn't tremble, there was a lace of fear, but also anger, I grabbed hold of that anger and tried to expand it, talking to myself, repeating 'how dare he think himself my master, he dare he treat me like a slave.' I wrapped myself in the anger, wishing I could seem him so I could give my anger a face.

He laughed again and he let go of my collar, "Do you know who you're talking to, kitten?" He snickered and started to walk around me. At first I was sure he was going to beat me, would smack me or hit me, but he didn't instead he stopped behind me and he kneeled down and I knew he could see up my skirt but there was nothing I could do about it, so I waited because it was all I could do. His hand was cold when it touched the inside of my knee, "Answer me..." he whispered and his hand started up my inner thigh, slowly and I knew what he would do. I'm a virgin... and he knows how to control me because I am one. I bit my lip, but his hand kept moving up, my thighs were clenched and pulling against the restrains for all my worth, but I couldn't close my legs, he'd touch me, he'd have his way with me. Logically I knew that whether I complied with him or not he was going to touch me and do what he wanted with me, but if degrading myself would keep his hands off me for even another second... "Master... Sesshoumaru..." I choked on the words that I'd dreaded but I had said them. His hand kept moving upward, already up my skirt and almost to me, "PLEASE!" I yelled and he stopped, laughing, but he'd stopped.

He kept his hand there, leaning closer to my right leg I could feel his silk haori brushing against my shin and knee; he kissed just below my skirt's hem, on my thigh. His lips were soft and I was horribly turned on from his hand so close to my sex that his kiss sent a tremor along my spine. He chuckled and started massaging my thigh just below my sex, so close that if I shifted my hips right his fingers would brush my lips, he moved again so he was kneeling in front of me now, kissing along my thigh and up so my skirt brushed against his face, he opened his mouth and sucked on my leg and I almost moaned but I managed to choke on it. He grinned, I could feel his lips against my leg, "Please what?" He waited for several long moments, his actions had ceased waiting for my answer, but I didn't speak.

He grew impatient and dragged his claws from my inner thigh down to my knee, the action was too much and too unprepared for, I arched my back and whimpered, squirming in my restrained as he slid his hand back up my thigh. "Please, please stop!" I hurried out and his hand stopped again. He wanted me to beg him, wanted to see how far I'd degrade myself, it was humiliating, but it was also extremely arousing.

"Oh, but Kitten, you're so turned on..." he teased, and I could feel the heat in my cheeks, not just from the fact that I was turned on, but from him stating it, embarrassing me and he knew it. He stood up and moved in close, bowing his head into the crook of my neck, I instantly tried to connect my chin to my collar but he grabbed me around the neck, high up so his hands held my chin up. He started kissing my neck with feather light kisses, lick in places. My hands were clenching fists in the restraints as I tried to deny the pleasure he brought me, than he started sucking on my neck, his fangs pushed into my neck but he didn't bleed me, I panted, he hadn't asked me a question, he wouldn't stop if I asked, so I just tried to take it in without giving him what he wanted, but he was persistent. He held my chin up and nibbled on my neck while his other hand moved down, he cupped my breasts and I inhaled sharply as a means to not moan for him. He bit softly, than moved up and started on my ear and I melted, I moaned and I couldn't stop it or even try to muffle it, he growled, more purred against me - he was pleased. His hand on my breasts squeezed roughly but not painfully, he knew what he was doing.

"Please... please Sesshoumaru... stop... please..." I panted as I spoke and I hated the sound of my own desperate voice. He didn't stop, I knew he wouldn't, instead he pinched my nipple through the layers of cloth and I bit my lip whimpering through the action nonetheless. "Please... Master please... don't do this..." He stopped. For a moment all I felt was disappointment at the lack of his hands on me, his mouth tasting me, but than I was thinking clearer by the second.

He nuzzled my neck but he wasn't kissing me any more, nuzzling I could survive, kissing turned me on. His hand held my face and he turned me, his mouth touched mine light and I held my lips tight. He started nibbling my lower lip and I struggled to turn my head, his claws just held me tighter and he growled, demanding I submit to him, but I fought him anyway. He pulled away and I knew he was frustrated with me, "You're disobedience while impressive against my power is growing tiresome. The games end now, Kagome, you will submit to me." His voice was solid and thick with authority and that alone was giving me delightful chills, I knew he could own me, could control me and have his way with me and even if I fought him tooth and nail I'd enjoy ever second of him dominating me.

But pleasure wasn't everything and I wouldn't be a slave, "No, I won't be your slave." I growled back at him, though my growl was anything but intimidating... pitiful maybe. I felt his anger in his power, my first reaction was fear, fear that he'd hurt me, he'd kill me, but in the face of death it didn't matter, fear wouldn't save me, so I fought to just be angry back at him.

His anger seemed to weaken suddenly and that scared me more, I knew he was in complete control over himself, that when he was angry he didn't know how to respond, but when it suddenly disappeared... I just knew he had an idea and I was willing to bet I wouldn't like it. He walked away from me but came back second later; he kneeled in front of me and locked something onto my knees. I tried to move and realized he'd put a bar between me knees; oh kami... was he going to break my legs? "No...no..." I whimpered and the fear was strong in my voice, "Please... please, I beg you don't hurt me..." I knew he could, I knew what he could do to me, and right now he was just toying with me.

"You have brought this upon yourself, disobedience must be punished." He kept moving around me and I was growing more afraid by the second, the fear felt solid by now, tangible like it was choking me.

"Please, I'll do whatever you want, don't hurt me..." I could feel the tears being sucked up by the cloth, damning myself for being so afraid.

Suddenly my world changed, he pulled my hands down from where ever he'd bound them and re tied them so they were snug behind my back. He gave me a solid push between the shoulder blades and I went tumbling to the ground and without the use of my arms to catch me the landing was going to be harsh, however I landed on a bed of pillows, thank god, if I'd fallen on concrete I was likely to break my jaw or something. The restraints on my ankles were gone but the bar between me knees held my legs open though not as far as the ankle ropes had. "It's too late for begging now, Kagome. I cannot allow you to disobey me like this, so now you must be punished."

He picked me up around the waist and laid me on my stomach over his knees and only then did I know what he was going to do, my face burned red with embarrassment, I squeaked - because nothing else can describe the sound I made - when his hand laid on my bottom. Me knees were bent so I was kneeling my legs forced open by the bar and laying over his lap at the same time. "Oh Kami..." I didn't know whether to beg him not to or prepare myself for the reaction I already knew I was going to have. I burred my face into his knee, my sex was getting wetter with anticipation, he lifted my skirt up to reveal my lime green panties, than he grabbed the back of them and slowly pulled them down, I know he did it slowly as to embarrass me... it worked... and it also turned me on.

I never knew humiliation could be a kink until just this moment, but the sheer thought of Sesshoumaru's eyes on my backside, my slit now reveal, the cool air giving me delightful chills, oh it was maddening. His hand patted my bottom light and I whimpered, "Sesshoumaru... master..." I didn't say any more because I wasn't sure I wanted to tell him not too. He squeezed my bottom than raised his hand and I squinted my eyes trying to prepare myself for the first strike, than it came and I gasped, clenching my bottom tightly. He chuckled and rubbed my ass than smacked it again, and again I gasped for air, rubbing my face into his thigh and wishing this wasn't turning me on, wishing he didn't have such a great nose and wishing I wasn't so turned on by being completely and humiliatingly exposed to something so exquisitely sexy as him...

He smacked my ass again and than a fourth time and the fifth time I knew I wouldn't be able to hold it back, he raised his hand and hit me hard and I moaned, that stopped him and all I could think about was how humiliating this was and how degrading it was that I was loving it so damn much. He laughed; he laughed and leaned over me, grabbing me by the hair so I faced him but I was still blindfolded, "Kitten, you seem to be quite enjoying yourself. Tell me Kagome, do you like it when I spank you?" He snickered and grabbed my ass forcefully squeezing it. "Say it Kagome, tell me you want me to slap your ass."

I nuzzled my face into his thigh and his hand moved lower so he touched my thigh, right next to my slit, "Say it..." he whispered lower and huskily, than his finger slid over my slid and I whimpered. He rubbed his finger along my slit and I kept whimpering, it felt amazing, I knew my ass was still red from the spanking, but the thought of another strike, another sting... I did want him to beat my ass, but if rubbing my slit was the price for not saying it, well I wanted both at this point.

"Please... Master... Master please punish me, spank me..." I sounded breathy even to myself, the pleasure was thick in my voice. He laughed and moved his hand from my slit grabbing my ass again before smacking me again, this time harder, it stung, but it also made me moan, "Again..." I whispered and he struck me again, and still again. He stopped when my ass was red, and I knew not much more and the delicate line between pleasure and pain would be crossed, I think he knew that too.

He kept one hand between my shoulder blades while he cupped my sex, his middle finger rubbing against my clit, pushing between my lips to play with the small bud. I whimpered and moaned, and he kept playing with it, even as I squirmed and struggled to close my legs against the bar. He was laughing at me, at my futile attempts to protect myself, but it was hopeless and I was helpless and loving every second of being his toy. He kept rubbing me and the pleasure was building, slowly he dipped one finger into me, I was soaking and his finger slipped right into me, but it was still tight. He rubbed me from the inside and I moaned, arching my back but he held me down while he moved his finger inside of me. I tried to move against him but if I moved he'd stop so I had to fight to remain still while he pleasured me. I whimpered and whined while he tormented me, "Please..." I begged him, I wanted to cum, he was holding out on me, tease me slowly, than he withdrew his finger and I gasped and bucked to take him back into me.

He laughed and leaned over to kiss my cheek, "You'll cum when I decide, Kitten." He continued to laugh and pushed me off his lap so I landed on my back on the bed of pillows. He crawled on top of me and leaned over me, kissing me, while I was reluctant I didn't fight, I was exposed and my slit was dripping, hard to deny wanting him now. He slid his tongue into my mouth and I wanted him, I sucked on his tongue. His hand stroked my breast, teasing my nipples to hard nubs, than he grabbed the front of my shirt and tore it down and I couldn't bring myself to care, he sliced the center of my bra between my breasts to reveal me completely to him. It was frustrating, I knew he was dressed, but it didn't matter I couldn't even see him, I however, was helpless to cover myself. My hands still tied and my legs spread, my panties pulled down to my knees and now my shirt torn open, I was completely exposed and helpless... and I absolutely loved being at his mercy. His words still ringing in my head... I loved his power over me, he would control when I came, only with his mercy would I feel pleasure, oh it was delightful.

He started teasing my nipples sucking on one while he pinched the other, than he stopped for a moment and when he returned I could feel the cold wetness of ice sliding against my nipple and I jerked beneath it even as I moaned, "Oh please, yess... more..." I couldn't believe I was saying it, but I wanted him to own me completely. He kept the ice against my nipple until it almost stung than pulled it away to give the other the same treatment. He used the ice on my body, over my belly button and finally lower, first he rubbed it over my lips, teasing me with what he could do to me, than he slid it between the lips and rubbed it back and forth. I was panting and struggling to remain still, the moment I moved he pulled away and I cried out for him to torment me more, and he would. He held my lips open with two fingers and rubbed the ice against my clit, it was a sweet torture, my legs were trembling against the bar, wanting to move and protect my tender clit.

He chuckled, "Who do you belong to, Kitten?"

"You, Master... Sesshoumaru..." I whimpered as I spoke, than the ice was gone and I bucked helplessly, "Please! Please Master torment me!" I cried out for him to dominate me but he never returned with the ice.

I whimpered and squirmed, he moved over top of me, gone for a brief moment than suddenly kneeling over my shoulders and face. His fingers touched my lips, "Now you will please me, Kitten..." He told me softly and all I could do was nod helplessly. There was a moment of rustling cloth than he was against my lips, waiting for me to open my mouth and take his cock in my mouth. I blushed and turned away, but he caught my cheek and pushed one finger between my pursed lips, "Open your mouth Kitten. Do as you're told." The demand was enough and I opened my mouth. Slowly he shifted so he was on all fours over me, the tip of his cock just inside my mouth, I brushed it with my tongue and I felt a tremor slid through his body so I did it again, this time he gasped. It didn't take me long to catch on, I raised my head to take the head of his cock into my mouth, closing my mouth around him I started suckling him, sliding my tongue against him and swirling around the tip.

He groaned and clutched the pillows above me, he moved and slid more of himself into my mouth, I laid my head back so he wouldn't choke me and continued to suck on him, wishing my hands were free so I could feel his cock. I pleasured him with my mouth, enjoying how he dominated me, how he moved his hips over top of me so I could have more or less of him. Than he pushed deep into my mouth and I choked trying to pull away but he held me in place and I whimpered to escape. "No," he whispered and I was crying as I choked, "Relax, Kagome, take me... You're going to swallow my cum, take me into you... Just relax..." his voice was hoarse and husky but I obeyed and relaxed. He was thick in my mouth, to deep for comfort but I wasn't choking, he gave me the moment I needed to get comfortable with him so deep in my mouth than started shifting in my mouth and I could taste his precum on my tongue. I wanted him to cum in my mouth, wanted to be covered in his seed like a slave should be, wanted to be marked with his scent so everyone would know I was his. The thought alone was a torment to me, he kept shifting in my mouth and I moaned while I sucked him off. He tensed suddenly and a moment later his thick seed flowed into my mouth, it was hot and uncomfortable, but I swallowed it as my master had told me to do, I drank him down and sucked the remaining off his cock before he pulled out of my mouth. I lay there feeling extremely helpless and exposed and horribly turned on.

He leaned over me and kiss me, I was kind of surprised actually, I thought guys didn't like to taste themselves but he didn't seemed to mind as he plunged his tongue into my mouth. He pulled away and pulled the blindfold off, I was blind for a moment extra. The room was dark but I could see his eyes glazed over with satisfaction, the gold practically glowing, "Good girl..." he whispered to me and kissed me again.

He pulled away and slid down my body, "However... your torture has just begun." My eyes shot wide, I wasn't sure what else he could do to me, but I knew he would find something. He rubbed my inner thighs, sitting there like he was thinking for a minute than he moved to my feet, pulling shackles out that had been lost from under the bed of pillows, I knew without a guess that the chain on them was attached to the floor. He locked it around my ankle, removed the bar from between my legs, than locked the other ankle in place, spread farther than the bar once again. He crawled up my body and cut the ropes off my hands and rebound me eagle stretched arms pulled out stretched to more shackles buried under the pillows. He slashed off the rest of my clothes that had been hanging on to me, and only then did I realize he'd covered himself again, it seemed to make the fact that I was stark naked all that much more embarrassing with him fully dressed.

He moved between my legs again and stroked my slit making me squirm and moan softly, but it was just a tease, he wasn't going to give me release, just torture me with what he could do to me. He stopped and moved his hands down my thighs, over my shins to my ankle than turned so his back was to me and he straddled that one leg, I couldn't see what he was doing but it seemed awkward that he would focus on my foot. Than it started... what he meant by my torture had just begun, I bucked instantly as the feather slid up the underside of my foot, throwing my head back as I laughed. It didn't take much to make me laugh hysterically - I was extremely ticklish - he ran the feather between each toe, the binding on that foot kept me from moving it barely at all, but the rest of me thrashed and bucked underneath the tickle torture. He laughed with me, knowing he was torturing me and that I was loving it all the same. He had a feather in each hand, one going between my toes while the other moved up and down my foot. He shifted to the other foot without ever letting up on the tickle torture. I was begging, pleading him to have mercy and stop tickling me, but he never did, I was crying with laughter and he kept tickling me. He started up my thighs, tickling the backside of my knees and my inner thighs which was a serious turn on, not that I wasn't already trembling with pleasure. He flicked one feather over my pussy while I squirmed to escape but there was no where to go all I could do was take it, endure it and love it. He kept one feather at my pussy as the other went to my stomach and belly button, "Please, please! Noooo..." I cried out to him but he never even hesitated through all my begging. Than he had both feathers on either side of me, under my arms and down my sides, I was crying, "ANYTHING! PLEASE STOP! I BEG YOU!"

I was helpless, I don't know how long he tickled me, but eventually he said to me, "You'll be mine forever, my slave, and you'll love how I torture you. Admit it, Kagome... you like this tickle torture..."

It didn't take me a moment, yea I liked it, I loved it, my pussy was dripping wet while he tickled me mercilessly, "YYESSS! YESS MASTER! I LOOVE IT!" He tickled me for several more long minutes than he slowly eased up and stopped. I was panting beneath him, aroused and desperate for release, my body hyper sensitive from the tickle torture.

His hand was between me leg, stroking me like a beloved pet, and the concept seemed suiting... and I liked it. He laid beside me and kissed me tenderly, stroking me to keep me horny. "I believe... you won't feel your release today..." He laughed out loud, knowing how bad I was craving. "Perhaps tomorrow, for now, enjoy my gift to you, Kitten." He reached into his haori and pulled out what looked like a little green seed, he rubbed it against my wet slit and slowly pushed it up inside of me, I groaned and moved up to meet him, than he pulled out and left the little seed inside of me. It only took seconds for me to respond to it, it started shifting inside of me, it felt like it was growing, moving inside of me and rubbing against me in ways no hand or cock could, I felt part of it slid out of me and ripple over my clit torturing me as I squirmed against it.

"What is this..." I breathed heavily while it moved inside of me, I felt like I could orgasm at the slightest push, but the thing was very careful in its movements, it was torture like none I'd experienced before. It kept me moaning and whimpering with every shift it made, but never did it let me orgasm.

Sesshoumaru watched my slit for several minutes before he answered me, "It's a toy I had crafted, it'll keep you prepared for me, for whenever I decide to come back and play with you personally..." He looked up at my face and grinned and I knew what he meant but I had to be sure.

"I can't orgasm..."

"Not until I let you, my Kitten." He snickered and I clutched at the pillows helpless in my bondage as he walked out on me, the toy holding me suspended in tortured pleasure.


	2. Chapter 2

I saw him walk in and instantly hated him for leaving me here, but at the same time had this horrible urge to start begging, it had been several hours since he left me, or so I assumed, but timed tended to move slower the worse the situation was. Maybe it had only been a few minutes and he was going to walk out on me again leaving me unsatisfied. The thing Sesshoumaru left inside of me held me at the peek of pleasure the entire time, and I didn't even think that was possible, I was certain I would eventually cum or stop feeling it, but just as I thought I might get lucky it would shift and leave me panting. He watched me, his eyes on my slit and I loved that I couldn't cover myself from his intense stare, he enjoyed my embarrassment and my embarrassment turned me on, not that I could be any more turned on at this moment.

He moved across the room towards me, kneeling beside me he raised his hand to touch my face and this time I let him, I didn't struggle, though occasionally I would squirm from the toy inside of me. He ran his hand through my hair to the back of my head and lifted my head up sliding a leather collar around my neck; he locked it onto me and attached a leash to the loop on the front which he slid down my body to let the cold chain rest on my bare skin. I moaned suddenly as the toy inside of me hit a particularly sensitive spot, I squirmed helplessly; he just smirked at me with the most diabolical look in his eyes. His hand moved down my body over my breast, his fingers sliding around the mound of flesh, I think he enjoyed the softness to it, but I loved the tender feel of his hands on my skin, cradling my breast so tenderly. He continued down my body before he touched the soft curls just above my slit, he ran his hand lower and touched the little green object that had been the means of my never ending torture. He caught it and pulled it out slowly, I realized it had lengthened, looking more like a snake than a ball as he pulled it out of me, or maybe it was just trying to stay inside of my body. Once it was out of me I breathed heavy, but relieved, as much as I still wanted release it was better than being tortured nonstop, I watched as it suddenly contorted back into a ball and he brought it to his mouth licking it, I don't know if I looked like a tomato that second or not.

"I want you to beg for your orgasm, Kagome," He didn't look at me, just continued to lick the ball. He was so blunt I didn't know what to say, so I just stared at him as he finished licking all sides of the ball and slid it into his haori. His burning gaze suddenly fell on me and I just stared back, I didn't know what to do or say so I just stared at him. He climbed over top of me and laid between my legs, I was coming down from my indefinite high, thinking a little clearer, but his eyes scared me, there was mischief in those golden orbs. He looked down my body and bit my nipple; I bit my lip in response and arched my back towards him. He pulled back, pulling the tender skin and I whimpered as he did so, releasing me before he hurt me from the action. "I could just rape you..." Instantly fear spiked, I knew it was a possibility, in fact I'd thought he would, but when he hadn't during the first encounter I thought he just didn't want to lower himself to a human girl. "But maybe that wouldn't apply as rape..." he licked my nipple and I squirmed beneath him.

He sat up and let the leash fall between my legs the cold chain brushing my hot nether lips; I turned my head to the side as I struggled to muffle a moan. It lay heavy against my slit, he grabbed higher up and pulled it so the links ribbed against me, I arched up to meet the action and he stopped as usual. He moved down my body so he was lying between my spread legs and started kissing my inner thighs, he didn't waste much time on moving up my thigh. It was so much more kinky with Sesshoumaru right in front of me, touching me... teasing me... dominating me. He kissed my slit and I trembled, his tongue flicked out to lick my wet folds and I gasped, his hands went to my thighs and held me while he grinded his nose against my slit parting the tender flesh. He tongue snaked out again and licked over my entrance, a quick dart of his tongue, than he did it again, moving higher he flicked a third time this time hitting my clit which made me tremble with the urge to buck against him. He licked my clit over and over, his fingers coming to hold my lips open, leaving me completely unprotected and my most vulnerable parts at his mercy, at his _tender_ touch. The thought of him being tender was strange, but that's exactly what he was as he continued to lick my clit like it was a divine treat and must be savored. One finger slid inside of me as his mouth clamped over my clit and started suckling it, I bit my lip so fiercely I could suddenly taste the metallic copper taste of blood on my tongue. He chuckled against me; he could probably smell the blood and realized how much I was struggling to remain still for his ministrations. He went back to my sex, sucking my clit while his finger dipped inside of me, I thought he would let me finish as he started trusting into me. He pulled his finger out of me and switched his finger on my clit while his tongue delved into my core, tasting my essences. My legs were trembling with the strain of pulling against the chain, but I couldn't relax, it was too amazing, I was all but praying he would relieve me, would show mercy on me.

I was mistaken; I was so close I could practically see the pearly gates, than he stopped and my world blanked for a moment... than I screamed, screamed at him for being a sadistic bastard and screamed because I loved it all the same. He laughed, out right laughed at me, "I told you, Kitten, I want you to beg for it... Beg your Master..." He was smirking as he spoke and I was going mad. He picked up a feather that had been lying by me from the night before and slid it over my belly; I wiggled under the soft feather as he started making circles on my belly with it. I giggled but didn't laugh, he moved lower, running it over my slit against, it was an interesting sensation to have something so soft torture you; he stopped at my inner tights tickling them with the single feather. I wiggled and squirmed but was held tightly in my restraints so all I could do was endure it. It wasn't enough to make me laugh out loud but it kept me squirming and giggling every so often. "Unless... you don't want to cum... than I will happily continue your torture..." He grinned showing his fangs, I bit my lip, wondering vaguely if he'd stop all together once I orgasm... the thought was almost enough to keep me from begging...

"Please..." I whispered, I didn't want to do this, "Master..." I squinted my eyes, I didn't want to see the triumph in his eyes, didn't want to see how he knew he had me, "I beg you..." but more importantly I didn't want him to see, "Please... I want to cum..." didn't want him to know how much I was craving his torture, "I'm begging you..." didn't want him to see the undeniable delight at being humiliated in front of the Lord of the Western Lands, "Please... let me cum..." And the feather was gone...

He crawled over me and laid his groin against my wet sex, he was still clothed but I could feel how hard he was. His hands positioned on either side of my body and than he grinded against me and I moaned, pushing back to feel his length rubbing against me. He started kissing me and I responded eagerly, sliding my tongue into his mouth he sucked on it, his tongue riding against mine while he continued to grind against me. I didn't register much while he grinded me, all I could think about was the feel of his cock against my slit even with the cloth keeping my virginity intact, the thought of him inside of me was making me care less and less about morals and self respect. Only when he pulled my hands down did I realize he'd released my hands, he crawled off of me and released my ankles as well, than abruptly grabbed the leash and yanked me towards him, I tried to just sit up but he pulled and I ended up in his lap. He turned me around in one quick spinning motion that left me momentarily dazed in which he started to wrap a rope around me. I figured this would be my only opportunity so I started struggling for all my worth, I managed to get out of his lap and start to crawl away but he grabbed my ankle and pulled me back, "Don't be difficult now," he growled at me. He climbed onto my back and got my arms tightly behind almost to the point of hurting and started tying me up, I wasn't strong enough to stop it, hell I don't think I even hindered him with my struggles. Before long my hands were tight so tightly behind my back that it forced me to arch my back slightly and press my breasts out like an offering.

He sat me up on my knees, luckily my legs were still free so I kept them close, but he gently stroked my breasts that were pushed out to him, some how I think the impression had been intentional. He teased my nipples and I sat with my eyes closed trying to ward off the pleasure he brought to me so easily, he leaned down and started sucking on my nipple and I moaned softly for him, he growled his pleasure and sucked harder. He let go and pulled me into his lap, my back to his chest, his hands started to roam over my body, running over my sex many times, just exploring me, caressing me, I bowed my head and took it. I tried to keep my legs closed so he couldn't touch me, but he grabbed one thigh and forced them open, making me straddle his lap, leaving me again exposed to him, in that position that I loved so much. He stroked my pussy like I was a favored pet... like a cat... the image was more pleasing than I'd like to admit. I moaned softly while he continued to pet my sex, he stopped and I whimpered, "Please... I can't take any more..."

He grinned, "Oh yes you can... especially after that little display of disobedience." He was referring to me trying to escape. I looked away and whimpered, feeling helpless to him, but oddly I didn't feel in danger, maybe of going insane, but not of being hurt. He made me stand and my legs wobbled but he gave no mind as he grabbed a chain that looked like it came from the ceiling and hooked it onto my collar in place of the leash. He walked away from me to the wall, pushing a tapestry back to reveal a crank, I followed the chain and see it attached to the ceiling and hung down which was not hooked onto my collar. I started struggling and thrashing, not sure of what he was going to do. He ignored me as he started turning the crank which pulled the chain and before long it was pulled tight, pulling on my collar and forcing me to stand on tip toes to relieve the strain. He stopped the crank with me barely on my toes. He came to stand beside me, picking up a rope along the way, he uncoiled it and tied several knots along the length of it than he weaved it between my legs and pulled it up sharply, forcing it between my nether lips and a gasp out the other ones. He nudged my legs apart to about shoulder width and it was hard to fight him, he was likely to knock my feet out from under me and I didn't want to be choked by this collar. Once my legs were apart and the rope was up between my legs, the rough texture stationed on my clit and entrance he started to pull the rope in one direction and instantly I moaned from the roughness being grinded against me. He held it tightly as he pulled it back the other way making sure it was rough; the knots in the rope hit my clit and sent chills down my spine each and every time. He laughed as I moaned and whimpered with the torture, he didn't stop and continued to saw the rope between my legs. To my horror it didn't take long for the rope to be drenched in my fluids, proving my pleasure in the action, if my sound affects weren't enough. He chuckled beside me as he saw me watching the rope, he kept the sawing motion as he leaned in and started nipping at my shoulder.

He stopped leaving me again unsatisfied and craving more of this punishment. He dropped the rope and unclasped me from the ceiling so I could stand on stable grounds again, of course my position quickly changed and I'd have rather stayed on my toes than in the next degrading position. He bent me over this pole, and hooked the collar to another chain so I was held over the bar as if I were stretching to touch my toes but with my nose instead of my fingers. He tied my legs apart attached to the bars that held the pole I was bent over suspended in air. Now I REALLY felt like an offering, bent over my ass high in the air and my poor pussy completely exposed... again. I couldn't see what he was doing in my position so I waited and I didn't wait long before a harsh sting hit my backside and I thrashed in my restraints moaning when he didn't give me a second to recover and struck me again. He kept smacking my ass and I knew it was with a paddle, it hurt much more, but I didn't care, I liked the degrading humiliating of it all. He beat me several more times until a tear came to my eye and I was whimpering more than moaning with each sting.

I heard the paddle hit the floor and had no idea what he was doing to me next, but his hand was on my ass rubbing the sore cheek. He parted the cheeks revealing my anus and slit, I bit my lip, this was so humiliating. Than I felt the most obnoxious feeling ever... a feather... him and his damn feathers! He circled my anus with the feather; it didn't so much tickle as it irritated the skin and made it itch like mad. He wiggled the feather against my anus and I squirmed and clenched my ass trying to escape the strange torture. He kept running the feather against me while he slid his hand down my bottom to touch my slit, prodding my entrances with just the tips of his fingers. He kneeled down and used the one hand to spread my lips to him, while keeping the ministration of the feather on my anus. His finger was teasing my entrance while his tongue went to my clit, an odd angle, but he managed. He was going to drive me mad, I knew what was to come, or lack of what was to come really so I begged, hoping he would have mercy on me and finish me, "Please, Master, finish me, let me cum..." I whimpered while his mouth sucked my clit roughly, his finger inside of me, I squirmed, the feather forgotten as he focused on my pussy. His tongue grinded against my clit over and over, twisting around it and flicking it while his finger, now two fingers pumped my tight caverns. I was moaning and whimpering while he worked me, wishing I could move enough to buck against him. I was close... so close, "Oh god, yess... please, Master, please!" I continued to beg hoping he'd finish me. I felt the feather again this time on the backs of my knees; my legs were nearly immobile while he tickled such a sensitive spot. I threw my head back and laughed which turned more into gasps and groans. He kept tickling me and it was so delightful, his mouth and fingers working me. My body was clenched tight preparing to be denied again, but he didn't, I screamed when I orgasmed, seeing white as the fire of my pleasure burst into a bon fire; it was amazing, being forced to endure hours of torture without release made it that much more amazing. I was practically convulsing in my bondage, whimpering and moaning long after the climax, dizzy from the after glow of pleasure and whimpering still while he licked up my juices that trailed down my thighs.

He rose and patted my bottom, walking around me to unclasp the chain that held me bent over the bar. I tried to stand but I stumbled back and landed on the pile of pillows, he chuckled as he watched me. I was too lost in my afterglow to respond or care that his eyes were licking me up like candy, it took me minutes before I realized he'd moved, kneeling down onto the pillows he released himself from his hakama. He was hard and ready, the tip of him was wet with precum, I looked away and a moment later my collar tugged me towards him. He held the leash as he pulled me to kneel, face to face with him. "Too late to be shy now, taste me." He demanded I didn't want to mostly because I wanted to so badly... no, it didn't make sense... but neither did the fact that the lord of the Western Lands had a human sex toy... or maybe it did.

Her urged me down and when I resisted he gave no warning just forced me downward so my face was beside his cock, he rubbed himself against my cheek getting me wet with his cum. I was in an odd position on the ground and it was extremely uncomfortable but he didn't seem to care and there was little I could do to fix it with him holding me down. My knees were scrunched under me and I was laying over my thighs. "Now Kitten..." He was growing impatient... I licked him and he groaned. My tongue flicked across his tip tasting his precum only for him to release more onto my lips. I licked several more times before I took his tip into my mouth but he pulled me back, "Just lick..." he said, but it wasn't like a scold or a demand. I licked him, my tongue sliding down the length of him as he leaned back onto his hands so it was easier to lick the underside of him. He was panting while I licked his testicles, opening my mouth to suck by the base of his cock, he groaned and I could visibly see his legs tremble while I licked and suckled his cock. I slid one testicle into my mouth and sucked on it roughly but he just groaned in responds. His hand rested on the back of my head, not pushing me or hindering me just sat there, stroking my hair occasionally, again I felt like a favored pet, a cat even... his kitten. He finally let me take him into my mouth and I sucked him hard wanting to taste his cum again, his hand clenched in my hair while I sucked him off, when he tensed I was prepared for his cum but he pulled me off suddenly and pushed me back in an action that took less than a second I was kneeling in front of him when he came and covered me from breasts to pussy in his cum.

He nudged my shoulder and I fell onto my back staring up at him with his cum on me, "Now you're mine..." he whispered, the possessiveness in his eyes. He readjusted himself, pulling his hakama back into place. He stood up and held my leash, tugging it until I found my way to my feet, he didn't say anything more as he turned away and pulled me to follow him out of the room. We ended going up the longest flight of stairs I've ever had the displeasure of marching up, only when we went through the doors at the top did I realize we were in a palace or castle of some sort, he walked me down the hall on the leash, stark naked with his cum still wet on my breasts and stomach, the horror hit me that there were probably servants and other residents and I instantly stopped, we weren't far from the door we'd just come from. He turned to look at me while I stood immobile I knew my face wielded my horror. He grinned, "Don't be difficult, Kitten, I'm taking you back to my personal quarters. One way or another we will get there, how humiliating getting there will be is entirely up to you."

"This is your castle..." I muttered, "Please... let me have some clothes... oh please, Sesshoumaru don't do this..." and for a moment I'd thought I couldn't be any more humiliated.

He grinned, a most wicked grin making my legs quake with fear, "What did you call me, Kitten?" He watched me, waiting and I realized what I'd said and looked away, behind closed doors was one thing but he was going to show me off like a prize... "Well?" he asked impatiently.

"Please... Master... Sesshoumaru" I cringed at the words.

"That's better," he turned to walk away but I still resisted, he waited with his back to me a moment but I never budged, "Very well." He snapped his fingers and only moments later servants started flooding the halls, half-breeds, humans and demons alike, my face bleed red. I closed my eyes, squinted them tight hoping they'd all just disappear, but when I opened my eyes there were at least twenty pairs of eyes all staring at me, some of them carrying grins, some held laughter, some with lust, others with disdain. My hands were still tied tight behind my back, forcing my back to arch, his cum slowly drying on my skin, the tears formed at my eyes as I was helpless to protect my modesty from the numerous eyes. He tugged the chain again and I didn't know if struggling would be worse or if showing that I was unwilling would give me some of my pride back... I went with struggling.

I broke out in a fit of thrashing and struggling, screaming and yelling. Sesshoumaru's growl was loud and ferocious as it broke through my eminent fear as well as my endless screeching. He clutched the end of the leash and started reeling in me into him, I fought tooth and nail, struggled and screamed at the top of my lungs hoping to shatter his ear drums if that was the only pain I could cause him than so be it. It only took him moments even through my relentless struggles for me to be standing in front of him, he held the leash tight while he pulled a cloth from his obi and turned me to face the crowd, wrapping the cloth around my face and gagging me with it. I was crying by now, I hated that I was, but the tears burned humiliating streaks down my cheeks, he turned me to face him so I was only inches from his face, "I warned you," he growled and turned to walk away this time I followed, sobbing softly, the eyes all raking in my naked body... god I was turned on... I knew they could smell it and it made it worse. I sobbed because I felt like I slave, I whimpered because I liked it on some sick level in my thoughts.


	3. Chapter 3

He'd chained me to a new leash in his room; this one was quite lengthy so I could get around the room without choking myself. The room was gorgeous, mostly done in rich, royal blues: a large bed off to one wall, there was a dark wood desk and chair as well as a matching side table, there was even a small seating arrangement in one corner made up of a love seat and two chairs, each over cushioned with their own pillows. He'd left me here and my first thought was on how to escape. I kneeled beside the base of the chain where I was locked in, it actually protruded from the stone floor. Oh, he also released my arms, thank god, I was starting to lose feeling in my hands, but as I fumbled with the chain and the base of it my hands were useless, I even tried to see if I could summon my miko powers but as usually I was clueless on how that actually worked. I pulled and yanked, twisted and picked at it to no avail, there wasn't even a knick in it. So next I struggled with the collar, it was leather, but I couldn't break it. I started hunting the room, ripping open drawers, searching the tables, hell I even looked around the headboard and pillows - some people sleep with knives or weaponry around - all to see if I could find a knife, but alas there was nothing. I sat on the bed groaning in frustration, I curled up in the bed wrapping myself in the furs and clinging onto a pillow, laying there frustrated and naked, it was minutes before exhaust kicked in and I was out like a light bulb.

It had started as a game really; Inuyasha had been incapable of protecting her, not worthy of such a luscious creature so I took her. He didn't even sense me, foolish halfling, he should really work harder at protecting his pack. I had only planned to keep her in the dungeon until Inuyasha came hunting for her, than I would use her as a means to over power him, finish him, and reclaim the last of father's swords, he truly did not know how to use it, so why should he have it? However I had always foolishly assumed the girl named Kagome was Inuyasha's mate, but on that first night just as I tied her ankles I went to rise and I was struck with her scent, a divine scent really: the scent of a virgin. Young, old, thin, fat, blond, brunette, it didn't matter, virgins were always divine... and I loved them. Demons and half breeds don't have the same scent of virginity, they have a scent but it's not like human virgins, it's intoxicating, if human males could smell it there would be a lot more rape going around. I however never raped human females, it would destroy the smell, of course I would never degrade myself into laying with a human female either. I would however delight in pleasuring virgins, the smell of their pure nectar is amazing, most cannot control themselves under the intense smell of a virgin's pleasure and thus sex is the result. I am not hindered by this weakness so I often have human virgins about my palace for my senses.

I admit I was a little ecstatic when the smell of her hit me; the mixture of her white powers and her virgin innocents was a bit much to take in. I couldn't help but touch her than, and she was lovely, her flesh soft but tight. I had meant to back off to leave her alone, I had managed to stop touching her delicate flesh only minutes before she woke up, I watched her struggle and than when she knew I was there her scent intensified and I knew she was enjoying her position... I was so completely unprepared for her to surrender to me... it had made it that much more enjoyable, the scent was worth fighting for, but when a woman submits its much more delightful to pleasure her. It didn't take me long to realize Kagome liked to be humiliated, I just wanted to push her, see how much she would take, and she just kept taking more and more of it, I was sure calling the servants in the hall would be it, she would no longer be turned on by so many eyes, but I had been wrong, by the time I walked her back to my quarters she was panting and dripping wet... she was far to much fun. I left her alone in the room for as much as I would have preferred to stay and torment her more there were other things to attend too. It would be about three to five days before Inuyasha arrived and I wasn't sure I would be willing to give her up at all.

I woke up in Sesshoumaru's bed, but I was not alone, I knew it was him by the thick smell of him, he smelled of earth like a fresh cut rose can smell. First I recognized the lack of weight around my neck and went for the collar, it was still in place but the chain was missing than I felt the weight of his arm across my stomach and his skin against my back, my face heated red as I realized he was naked. The sky outside the open window was dark and I could see a sliver of the moon outside. I wondered how far up we were or even if I would be able to slip out of his arms. I had to try; if he woke up I would say I couldn't sleep.

Slowly and as carefully as I most possibly could I wiggled out from under his arm, placing the dead weight of his arm over a pillow. I slid off the bed and my feet touched the rug that protected my toes from the cold stone beneath it. I stood up and watched him, his eyes were closed but I was nervous as hell as I wondered towards the window. I leaned over, placing my hands on the edge and staring down at what looked like it had to be six stories to the ground but knew it was actually only three or four at most due to the high ceilings in most castles. I scanned the outside wall from just leaning over it was nothing but solid stones, I pulled back into the room and turned to see Sesshoumaru in the same position I left him, eyes still closed. I tip toed across the room picking up his haori that had been slung over the back of a chair probably for servants to clean up, I wrapped myself in it because there was nothing else in the room to wear, I assumed the servants brought him clothes daily or there was another room, probably in another door I hadn't been able to explore due to the leash from earlier. I made my way towards the door I knew to lead to the hall and touched the handle, watching Sesshoumaru as I turned it, the door didn't make a sound and I couldn't have been more grateful as I slipped out of the room and into the dark hallway...

Why did she have to do that? I am not up for tormenting the small girl right now, after all the trouble Rin and Jaken have been today sleep was really all I was asking for. I rolled onto my back as the door closed barely making a sound. I sighed something I rarely did, but this was frustrating: why couldn't she have just stayed curled nicely up against me, I'd even taken the leash off - so much for those privileges. I climbed out of the bed reluctantly to pull on my hakama - she'd made off with my haori - and headed out of the room at a leisurely pace, she wasn't getting out anytime soon, they were on the top floor and first she had to find the stairs. When she'd moved to the window I was sure she was going to jump, thank god she wasn't that stupid, I did not feel like diving after stupid humans today... tonight... ever...

I fallowed her trail - that lovely smell now laced with fear and nervousness. It was hard to keep a straight face at the loop she was making, traveling all about the place but never in the right direction. I picked up the pace after ten minutes her fear was getting more intense, when I caught up to her she was wondering down a dark hall her back to one wall as she snooped around the corner. I took off after her and suddenly she felt me and bolted, I grinned, I loved when they ran.

I chased Kagome down the hall her hair flailing behind her, my haori tied tightly around her waist so I could see the shift of her bottom as it rolled from side to side with each step. Her fear was sweet but nothing like her pleasure, I preferred the smell of her pleasure, not to mention I preferred having her begging and submitting to me as well. I sped up and slammed her into a wall, though nothing like what I could have done, I pinned her and pulled her hands above her head so I could hold both in one hand. I turned her face so her cheek was against the stone wall and I could see her face, "You shouldn't have ran, Kitten," I liked the nickname, it seemed suiting for how fragile she was, not to mention how I enjoyed petting her like one.

Her pleasure at being held by me was growing quickly, it was amazing really, she enjoyed being dominated, it worked just fine for me because I enjoyed being the aggressor. I reached around her pulling her slightly away from the wall so I could untie the haori from around her waist, I pulled it open while she struggled in my grasp, I was smirking while she squirmed, I loved her futile attempts at stopping me, how she fought me with such vigor only to be proven weak in comparison to myself. I pulled the haori wide open and pushed her back against the wall so her bare breasts grinded against the harsh stone, she whimpered and writhed against the wall. I nipped her ear because the first time I did she practically melted and again she did, closing her eyes while I suckled her lobe. I pushed my knee between her legs and raised her up to grind her front against the wall while my knee rubbed her slit. She moaned and pressed her forehead to the cold stone, arching into the stone and helping to grind herself against the wall. I kissed down her neck and sucked and bit at her shoulder. She was hot and turned on; I didn't feel like working her to her peek as I had earlier so I just plucked her from the ground and carried her back to the room. "We will continue your punishment in the morning." She didn't speak, she knew she'd been caught in the act, and for her silence I was grateful, I still wanted sleep...

We returned to the room and the first thing I did was put the leash back on her that kept her in the room, she didn't argue while I pulled her into bed with me, I slid a knee between her legs so I could stroke her slit while I laid down to sleep again. She squirmed relentlessly which only made me pet her more, running my finger between her lips while she whimpered helplessly, I dipped a finger into her core and that seemed to be the point she couldn't take it and she grabbed my arm to try and pull me off her, I growled into her ear, but she fought me anyway. I caught her hands and held them down, "I don't believe it's comfortable to sleep tied up but if you continue this I will rebind you," she stopped fighting me and I moved my hand between her legs, she clutched the pillow in front of her and whimpered while I played with her sex. I was pleased that she didn't keep fighting me; I really did not feel like tying her back up.

She was so small she fit right up against my chest, my shoulders practically twice the width of her, I let her rest her head on one arm; she was so light it didn't even effect circulation in my arm. It seemed strange how comfortable it was to have her there, the sweet sounds of her pleasure she made while I stroked her sex were too alluring, her scent too hypnotizing, even for the short periods of time that she wasn't blazing with pleasure her scent was exquisite. I stopped teasing her after awhile; I wanted her to sleep for the punishment of tonight's activities would not be forgotten. I kissed her neck and behind her ear before nuzzling into her hair taking in her scent, her pure scent over rode most others but I could still smell the floral of her hair wash and... cringe... Inuyasha... Luckily she'd never done any more than rode on his back so his scent was fading because he'd never been inside of her, nothing to hold his scent to her flesh. I suppose first thing in the morning a bath would be in order.

He was over top of me, his body covered in a sheen of sweat, my arms and legs bound to the bed posts to keep my spread eagle while he grinded into me. His hair hung on either side of him like a curtain while he thrust into my body. He was so thick, he filled me so completely, I thought it would hurt when I lost my virginity and may even cry from the pain of it, but all there was, was pleasure. He started gently, caressing my breasts and my thighs, rubbing his tip against my clit and entrance, he had smiled down at me, god he looked amazing with that smile on his lips. I whimpered and asked him to take me, he obliged, sliding into my slick core, taking me and claiming me. He started slow tormenting me, telling me if I bucked against him he wouldn't let me cum and I whimpered at the threat, struggling to remain still while he slowly slid out of me and back into me. I groaned while I bit my lip, it wasn't long before I was begging him to move faster, pleading him to take me hard... and he did. I was in heavenly bliss while he fucked me so hard, slamming into me, I couldn't have kept up with him if I'd wanted too at this point. I didn't want to close my eyes while he took me, he was too amazing, he looked like a divine being over me, moving against me. I felt so close, so close to exploding and crying out his name, that name that held so much danger and thrill.

"Kagome? Kitten... Kagome..." Something wasn't right, the way he said my name was not full of passion, it was not husky and hoarse from our activities... in fact he sounded a bit confused, than I blinked and I saw him looking over me, not inside of me, not taking my innocence, just leaning over me, staring down at me like I'd grown a second head. I blushed and wondered what I could have possibly said or done in my sleep to cause him to look at me like that. "Come Kitten, we will bathe." I crawled out of the bed slowly grateful he hadn't questioned, the sun was beaming through the open window while I followed him into a door on the far wall, the leash was gone again, I guess he could have easily caught me again even if I did try to run, but I didn't a bath sounded nice anyway.

We went through the door and the bath which looked more like a giant round bowl fit into the ground that could fit easily three or four people, like a personal spa. The water was warm and I could see steam drifting off of the surface, around the edge were a number of bottles and bowls as well as some cloths for washing. Sesshoumaru closed the door behind me and walked by me, patting my bottom lightly when he did, the action seemed strange, like it was more intimate than anything he'd done to me so far. I tried not to think to much on it just went to the waters edge, I was already naked so I just climbed into the soothing water, Sesshoumaru dropped his hakama and climbed in as well. I was really hoping he'd just let me relax but I couldn't be so lucky, he caught me and pulled me into his lap, I didn't struggle there was really no point. He picked up a bottle from behind me and poured some of its contents into his palm, setting the bottle down he had me positioned between his legs while he lathered the liquid into my hair, his claws scrapped my scalp lightly while he washed my hair. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the pampering, he finished all too soon and ushered me under so I could rinse out my hair. He didn't speak when I resurfaced just handed me another bottle and turned his back on me, I get it, he washed my hair I wash his, I'd always loved his hair and now I got to play with it. I almost giggled but managed to hold it in. I had to sit up on my knees to be tall enough to get his scalp, washing his hair took a lot longer than washing mine, I made sure I cleaned it thoroughly though. He purred while I massaged his scalp... and yes I said purred... I couldn't quite believe the hardy rumbling coming from him but it was...

I finished and he dunked under the water and rinsed his hair, he came up facing me, pinning me against the wall of the bath an arm on either side of me. I looked at him curiously wondering what I'd done to displease him. I stared him down my hands held at my chest because I didn't know what else to do with them, than suddenly he leaned over me and licked my cheek, I blushed. It was strange but oddly pleasing, I kind of wanted to lick him back but I settled for kissing his cheek, he stared at me curiously like he was confused, if he was confused how the hell did he think I felt? I'd just willingly kissed him and I wasn't thinking through a haze of pleasure either.

He picked me up and sat me on the edge of the bath, than climbed out himself to sit behind me, he had a cloth in his hands and was lathering it with what I didn't get to see and started rubbing my back with it. I leaned forward and put my hands between my legs groaning when he ground the cloth into me like he was scratching my back with it. He finished my back and caressed my arms and neck than around the front of me, I let him clean my chest because oddly I kind of wanted him too, his hands kneaded my breasts taking more time than necessary to clean the skin before he moved over my belly, dipping a finger into my belly button, it tickled and I squirmed so he did it again before he started tickling my sides. I fell back against him while he tickled me playfully and yes I said playfully, I'm starting to think the steam was making us both delusional.

When I fell against him he stopped, he was upside down in my vision, leaning over me slightly, I touched his cheek tentatively, he moved closer to me and I closed the space pressing my mouth to his in a delicate kiss, just a brush of lips, suddenly he yanked away and he seemed angry. He shoved me into the water and the suds drifted away from me as I resurfaced, he stalked after me and put me back outside the tub, climbing over me wash cloth still in hand he slid it between my legs and grinded it against my clit, I moaned and moved against him but he didn't stop as he usually did instead he worked me with the cloth before tossing it out of the way and forcing two fingers into me, it hurt a bit but I didn't complain or show the pain while he started pumping me. I whimpered beneath him, pushing against his chest but he was like a solid brick so I squirmed and moaned while he fingered me ruthlessly. He was never so rough with me and I didn't know what I had done to deserve this. He wasn't really hurting me but I knew if he kept this up I'd be sore in a few hours. "Sesshoumaru..." I whimpered his name while he continued to plunge his fingers deep inside of me, "Please Sesshoumaru, you're going to hurt me!" I cried out to him and suddenly he stopped and looked up at me.

There was fear in her eyes and I didn't like it, she thought I was going to hurt her. I wouldn't hurt her... but as I looked down at her, saw myself working her tight body, knowing she hadn't been aroused enough for me to be pumping her the way I had been. I slid my fingers out of her, I didn't know what I felt or at least I didn't recognize how I was feeling at the moment and that bothered me. I picked her up and cradled her against my chest, sliding back into the water with her held against me, I felt like I should be angry but she seemed to soothe me, I held her against me while I relaxed against the side of the tub, she laid still her head tucked under my chin her cheek against my collar, I could feel her breathing even out from how she'd been panting. I let her go and told her to get out and dry off and wait for me in my room, I wanted time to think, she didn't argue or question me just stood up and hurried out. I finished bathing myself as I thought about her and the kiss we'd shared, she kissed me, I didn't have to fight her, and she wasn't lost in pleasure when she did it... what did that mean? And why was I thinking so much into it? I finished up and decided things needed to be straightened out and she still had her punishment coming to her.

I walked out having already dressed in the bathroom; she was curled up on the bed with the sheet around her, covering her nakedness. "Come," I told her in one icy word, she hesitated but she came, good. She stopped several feet away from me and I caught her by the upper arm walking her across the room but not dragging her, I attached her leash to the collar and headed out of the room with her behind me, she stopped at the door and looked up at me, I could see the plead in her eyes, she wanted clothes, but that was half the fun, having her naked for everyone, exposing her treasure, making her my slave.

"Please, please let me have clothes..." She cried softly to me and I just watched her before yanking the chain hard enough that she stumbled through the door way and ended up on her knees from the force of the pull. I pulled the chain and she would either be dragged or get up on her feet, it didn't matter to me either way... she chose to walk. I walked her through the castle, taking a nice detour through a section I knew the servants were working. They eyeballed her and ogled her, some giggled or grinned. She kept her head bowed, her hands covering her as best they could as I walked her down the palace corridors, the heat rising off her face and chest from the blush covering her, it was quite...cute. I could smell her arousal, her delight at being watched, but it was nothing in comparison to what was to come...

I tried not to think, just to walk and watch his shoes so I didn't stumble, but than I'd hear a giggle or a gasp and I'd clench my legs together. I looked up once and saw the gaze of a male servant, I thought he'd eat me and quickly looked down. I could feel that moistness between my thighs, liquid sliding against my lower lips and sliding down the insides of my legs. I felt dirty on some level but at the same time I felt gorgeous, these men wanted me... the thought was making my legs quake.

He stopped in front of a door and I watched as two servants hurried up to open the double doors for him, their heads were bowed but I could see them looking at me, watching me while I walked into the room on shaky legs. The room was huge; it looked like a banquet hall, a long table running down the center which could easily seat thirty people. He walked me to the side wall and than I seen the shackles, I wanted to struggle and run for it, but he still held my leash, he'd caught me the night before and I'd even had a head start, what could I do? Why a banquet hall? How many people would be in this room within the next hour? I stopped moving keeping at least two yards between us, he was standing in front of the wall when he tugged the leash but I didn't fall. I grabbed the leash so I could try and fight back the next time he pulled. "No... no more..." He looked at me and growled before he yanked the chain and I stumbled forward, he caught my arm before I face planted the ground and twisted me against the wall. "No!" I yelled at him while I struggled to keep him from locking me in place. I hit his chest and screeched, fighting for all my worth, I did not want to be eagle spread in front of thirty people unable to protect myself from them.

It was no use, he forced my arms back like I'd put them up there myself, shackled me in place, I nearly kicked him in the face once when he went for my ankles, but he caught my flailing limbs and locked my ankles as well, spread open so all of me was revealed. He stood up and his eyes raked over me, I don't know why this still embarrassed me, why it still turned me on to have him looking at me, to have his eyes on me... I knew my body pleased him, I knew he wanted me too...


	4. Chapter 4

I was right about the hour, after about twenty minutes several others walked in and to my horror so did three other naked females, all humans. One of them fought like I had, one of them cried softly but I think the hardest one to watch was the one who showed no emotion at all. They were shackled to the wall like I was: one beside me and the other two on the wall opposite of us. The one who cried softly was beside me and her sobbing never stopped, it was painful to listen to it, it made me want to cry too, I wondered if these were all girls that Sesshoumaru had captured, oddly I didn't think so. After forty minutes Sesshoumaru walked back in along with three others, I think they were the other lords, each of them went to a female, Sesshoumaru came to me... I had to know, "Who are these females?"

Sesshoumaru looked up to meet my eyes like he wasn't sure I'd actually spoken, his eyes glazed over, I wasn't sure if I should be worried about what he was thinking or not. "They are slaves to the other lords..." _Slaves?_ I looked out to see the other females, the girl who didn't feel was absolutely stunning physically, with thick blonde hair in soft curls falling around her face and laying over her breasts, her eyes were a shocking green, her body curved and filled out amazingly well. The other girl, the fighter didn't compete but she was still pleasant to look at with dark brown wavy hair and soft chocolate eyes, curved slightly but not extremely busty or filled like the blonde, really I don't think any of the three of us competed with the blonde's looks. The last, the girl who cried beside me seemed more delicate than me, she was petite with bright red hair, I couldn't see her eyes, her breasts were small and perky, but she was cuter than anything else so it worked.

My attention jerked back to Sesshoumaru suddenly as he touched my sex, gently just two fingers rubbing the outside of my lips, than I felt that ball, he rolled it against my lips, I looked up at him with a pleading expression, god not the ball again... that evil green ball that would keep me aroused indefinitely, "Oh please don't... not again..." I wiggled while he smirked at me, rolling the ball against me before applying enough pressure that it slipped through my lips and he held it at my entrance, waiting... I knew what he wanted, but I wasn't sure I was up to it... Too late, I waited to long and he slipped the ball inside of me. It was small enough that I didn't have to be horribly aroused and soaking wet for it to slip right into my core. It only took moments for it expand and squirm around inside of me. I squinted my eyes closed and didn't open them, bowing my head while the little ball started to work around inside of me, another tendril sliding out to tease my entrance and clit, oh this was hell. I struggled against my shackles, my legs clenched tight.

I opened my eyes too late to see the ball gag coming at my face, I tried to pull back but it was too late, he slid it easily into my mouth and locked it behind my head. I whimpered against the gag but he didn't respond, in fact he turned away and took a seat at the head of the table. I looked around to see the other females gagged as well, the two across from me were both aroused I could see their shame on the insides of their thighs, I couldn't tell if the girl beside me was or not, but I knew she was still crying against the gag and humiliation of our situation. The fact that there were others made my situation easier to deal with, but that just made me feel horrible, that I would condone others so I could feel more comfortable, I instantly wished I could free these girls.

The other lords took their seats around Sesshoumaru and just as the last one took his seat more demons flooded the room, all of them eyeballed us but none of them seemed shocked to see us... was this a casual thing? Were there always naked females at these banquets? Apparently. A few guys walked by me, one ran his finger tips across my stomach and I cringed, another stroked the inside of my thigh and I struggled in my bondage, he laughed and took a seat at the table.

When all of the men settled, and yes all of them were men, not one female occupied the room other than the four of us shacked to the walls, they began what I could only conclude of being a meeting in a language I could not speak or understand let alone recognize. I struggled to understand their conversations, hoping I'd get lucky and see a diagram or something, hell, money flailing would have said more than this, than I had the sick thought that we were going to be auctioned off. I quickly turned my attention to Sesshoumaru who seemed bored, not appearing to be paying much attention but always responding instantly when spoken too. I didn't think he'd sell me, I don't know why I just didn't think he would, if not to torture me more than to use me against Inuyasha... thinking of him... I wonder what he was doing now... I was sure they were hunting for me; I hadn't even given them a second thought since I got here.

Sesshoumaru treated me strangely, the more I thought about his actions towards me the more I felt like he wasn't himself: wasn't he the killing perfection? But than I did only know him in combat, Inuyasha was different outside of fighting too, the few times we weren't fighting him it was only in passing, his face never really changed much, but why would it? It's not like we did anything entertaining, when we saw him it was brief and usually we were anticipating a fight so everyone was on edge... did I expect him to start cracking jokes or something? The truth was I had no idea who Sesshoumaru was, the only reason I knew Naraku was a heartless bastard was through Inuyasha, Miroku and Sango's stories of him. They each had some horror story all because Naraku craved power, did Sesshoumaru crave power that desperately? Would he take innocent lives and burn villages for his own selfish means? I really couldn't imagine him doing so, though I had no reason to believe he wouldn't, all I had was that he fought Inuyasha because their father gave him the sword he coveted: it was sibling rivalry on a demonic level... did that make him evil because death was more common to demons than it was humans? Was it not the same thing when I would yell at Souta or push him around because he took something of mine? If I pushed Souta down a flight of stairs he would be seriously injured if not dead, if Sesshoumaru did the same thing to Inuyasha he would get back up and attack him. Sesshoumaru had never inflicted mortal damage on Inuyasha, did he really want to kill him or were they just brothers being demon brothers?

I lost track of the meeting while I brewed in my own thoughts, I only broke out of thought when Sesshoumaru stood up, I watched him but he never even glanced my way, he walked away from the table and further from me, going to another demon who was standing in the corner, I think it was one of the Lords but I couldn't remember. The others stood from the table and started talking, some in English(I realize the original was Japanese but this fic is not), some still in that foreign language I couldn't decipher.

A couple of demons walked over to me, two males who from their friendliness to each other I assumed were close friends. One had short, spikey, jet black hair with gray eyes, the other had red eyes and longer blonde hair, it was hard to judge their height being suspended up against the wall. They eyeballed me and I looked away, looking to Sesshoumaru for help but his back was to me. The black haird started rubbing up my thigh and hip, I squirmed and he smiled at me, baring his fangs, "Now, now, no need to be afraid," they both snickered which only brought on more fear. The other, the blonde, reached up to cradle my breast, I was not aroused and this was no kinky... I could feel the burn of tears build at my eyes while I struggled helplessly in my bondage. The black haird started touching himself, stroking himself through his hakama, I tried not to look, not to see, but it was there. My nipple tightened under the blonde male's ministration, I whimpered, not in pleasure but in fear, hating my body for betraying me. I couldn't lose myself like I could when Sesshoumaru touched me, I don't know why but when he humiliated me, when his hands were on me I just lost myself, the pleasure over powered everything else, but as these males touched me, even brought pleasure to me I was still afraid as they touched me. I closed my eyes and fought to keep the tears at bay, fought to ignore their hands, I thought I could, prayed I could until one of them cupped my sex and I bucked, struggled and cried. He laughed, they both laughed and a finger forced itself between my lower lips, pulling on the little ball that still twisted around inside of me, causing it to move around. I screamed through the gag.

I was seething, furious and I didn't know why; I could hear my little Kagome's cries, I could smell her when they touched her, but this scent was sicker, still sweet as all virgins are but it was not willing, it was the smell of rape. Rape had such an interesting scent, I learned it was a scent enjoyed by the individual, some liked it, some didn't... I did not. I wanted to charge that vile male who touched her and made her cry, I wanted to break his fingers at each joint than rip them off to see his blood, tear off his hands for touching her, gouge out his eyes for gazing at her, and rip off his dick for loving her. I hated this, I should never have done this, I should have picked another female: why did I feel so possessive of her?

I couldn't respond, I had to talk to the Lords like there was nothing wrong, like I wasn't seeing red, like her cries weren't echoing in my head. I didn't know if I'd be able to stand here when they slid their fingers inside of her. They wouldn't actually rape her, demons could be killed for raping a virgin slave, it was practically law that the virginity belong to the lord, I knew this, but the logic wasn't getting to my head, it was cut short somewhere and making me think they would take her. Take her... take her... take her... she's_**MINE!**___I wanted to scream out my frustration and all my anger, but I held it in, staring at the other Lords not responding and hoping they weren't asking questions because I wasn't sure I could answer them without growling. I struggled to remain calm and collected.

He didn't even look back, he didn't even see me, nothing even changed in him while their fingers touched me and tormented me. I was crying burning tears of shame while they molested me in front of so many eyes, I didn't like this, I'd never run again so long as they stopped touching me. I don't know what made me look over but when I did nothing could stop the rage. The red head, sobbing into her gag while three males surrounded her, fondling her, stroking her, one of them was out and hard, he was at her entrance, she was thrashing wildly. It happened so fast but so slow, like I had all the time in the world to watch him rub against her entrance. I could see their eyes, but they weren't looking at me, I could feel them rubbing against me, but it wasn't my body: it was so real. The anger flourished and I couldn't breathe, suffocated by anger and by something else... something white hot... something burning. I thought it was in my blood like a poison taking my blood up in flames but I was wrong, it came from much deeper, much stronger. I saw their eyes saw the fear devour their lust, than everything shifted and I felt like my world literally moved six inches to the left, my vision blurred and I screamed, how I wasn't sure, but the gag was gone, suddenly just not there, I didn't remember it being removed. I saw white, everything, everyone just vanished into the endless white...

The white light that erupted from her was blinding, the power breath taking. At first it was shock, watching her as her anger over rode her, her power flourished like a flower blooming too fast to be real... but it was, it was real and tangible, every demon in this room could feel her pure power radiating across their skin the moment they'd walked in but now it was like being surrounded by fire but not close enough to be burned by it... well from where I was at least. Closer to her, the demons were struck directly, the ones touching her and the red head literally vaporized, as well as the shackles and gags. What threatened them and stood in there way was now gone, either dead or destroyed. I couldn't have been more proud of my hellion, couldn't have been happier that those that touched her were gone. The demons who weren't vaporized by the white magic but still stood close look like they had third degree if not worse burns across them. The light faded, softening and revealing the two girls, the red head curled into Kagome's torso, Kagome holding her closely, bent over her. Both of them were unconscious, neither of them were harmed, but nothing was around them, they looked like two nymphs curling into each other too sleep, it seemed to ethereal, too innocent for what had actually occurred.

Everyone stood in stunned silence, even I was left questioning what would happen, but I knew one thing for certain - Kagome was mine. I went over to the two girls because no one else was moving or speaking and I knew when the other Lords realized it they would want compensation for those that were purified in Kagome's white prowess. I picked up both of the girls, they were both so small it wasn't impossible to carry them both at the same time, not easy but I managed. I took them out of the room, Kagome's magic still prickling along my skin, but I liked it, I liked knowing how powerful she really was.

I took them both to my quarters, laying them in the large bed; the moment I laid them down they curled into each other as if they were pack members seeking each others warmth and protection. I watched the two sleep, debating on tying them down, but decided against it, Kagome's power was still strong in the air and she didn't know how to control it, when she woke everyone would feel the stir in her magic, she couldn't escape without me being well aware of it. I didn't want to tie her up either, I thought it would worry her, after such an incident I didn't want to put her in that situation, she would instantly think I would punish her... or worse, hurt her... I didn't want her to fear me... why I couldn't explain.

I wasn't sure what I would do with the red head but I had a sneaking suspicion that Kagome would not want to let her go. I would have to see about trading for her... why did I care? I didn't have an excuse. I could tie Kagome up, I could throw out the red head and it wouldn't matter, how Kagome felt here was irrelevant, her comfort was not my problem, she was a slave and should be treated as such... I knew as I thought it that was not true, I couldn't do that to her and she deserved to be treated better. It bothered me that I worried about her feelings, but brushed it off for later to worry about, now I had to return to the other Lords and try to make sense of this chaos.

I woke up to see the bright scarlet hair of the other girl, her face against my chest; I could see her blinking so I knew she was awake... awake and afraid. Her hands were trembling against my back, her arms clinging tightly around me, our legs intertwined like lovers, but among girls something that would be intimate in a male-female situation is just comforting. She looked up at me, her eyes were a brilliant blue, so amazing against her bright red hair, I wasn't sure what to say so I started the only way I knew how; "Hello, my names Kagome."

She stared at me for a long moment before responding in a quiet and soft voice, reminding me of velvet, "I am Naomi... thank you... so much..." Tears formed at the corners of Naomi's eyes while she stared up at me.

I touched her cheek and kissed her forehead, "I'm so sorry they touched you, I wish I had reacted sooner..."

She chuckled but it was full of sorrow and sobs, "It really doesn't matter much now..."

I didn't like the sound of that, "What do you mean?"

She choked on a sob the moment she opened her mouth but she tried again, "Lord Raidon..." She looked down at my breasts but it wasn't intentional, she just didn't want to meet my eyes, I let her keep that, "He... took me...earlier this morning..." she choked on her sobs again, burying her face against my chest, I kept quite though when she admitted to being raped this morning I could already feel the burn which had been calming down flare to life once again, my veins feeling like liquid fire. "He said... they wouldn't touch me if he didn't break me before the meeting... he said it was a courtesy to lesser demons..."

A courtesy! How the hell is it a courtesy...? I didn't understand but my comprehension really wasn't that important right now. I wrapped my arms tightly around the petite girl clinging her too me I mumbled into her hair over and over that it would be alright and no one would touch her ever again. She openly cried into my breasts and I held her too me, I would keep this promise even if it killed me to do so.

It took nearly three hours to settle everyone down and to keep the decimal level down to a quiet roar. Kagome cost me a hell of a lot today with her little display, that wasn't counting what I traded for the little slave girl I'd learned was named Naomi. I lucked out that three of the males Kagome fried were just common demons, meaning I didn't have to pay anyone for their casualties, the other two were generals under Lord Hilton of the Northern Lands, they were expensive, I had to replace the men and pay a fine for the families that had lost them.

I lucked out with Lord Raidon because he was allied with the Western Domain; he was a friend of my father's so he was easier to trade with but still infuriating because I know he worked me for all he could get. He ended up with two of my virgin slave girls and a price because Naomi was "such a unique find"...bullshit - because nothing else can express how irritated I am.

At first I was headed back to my quarters, but than remembered the girls, I didn't want to be around them right now, I was to furious, furious because Kagome was such a liability and furious because I'd just lost a great deal today because of her and furious because I wasn't furious with her... furious because even after that I was proud of her... proud and something else... something I felt for her... I didn't know what it was, I didn't care... fury over powered whatever that was. I decided instead to see to my other virgins, their scent would calm me.


	5. Chapter 5

I think... I'm in love... with Naomi's hair... Her hair is like water, as smooth and soft as silk, sliding between my fingers with ease, I wonder if she ever gets tangles. Her hair was crimson colored, not that dull orange of most red heads but actually red, crimson, scarlet red. I loved it, I'd never seen natural red hair like that before, since I know they didn't have hair dying products in this era. Her hair flowed around her like cape, trailing down to just above her bottom, what's even better is that unlike most people whose hair thins out at the ends hers was consistent, as thick at the nape of her neck as it was by her rear; I don't think she had any split ends at all. I was so jealous as I washed her hair, and I told her as such.

Yes I took Naomi to the bath Sesshoumaru had taken me into earlier this morning; I wanted to help her "wash it all away." I was happy she was so relaxed with me, after about an hour of holding her refusing to complain even as my arms fell asleep she started talking, she muttered on about her history. I learned she was one of about a dozen sisters or more, she kept naming them and I lost track. She'd left home when she fell in love with a demon named Caim. She said he'd stolen her from her own home but she smiled when she said it. It didn't matter much as she found out he was under the rule of Lord Raidon though she didn't know Caim's social status. When Lord Raidon saw her he wanted her for himself, because her hair "shined like blood" she quoted... which I did not think was an appropriate description. When her hair spilled over her shoulders and breasts, hanging flat but flowing down her back it looked more like wine poured over her ivory skin - she was extremely pale, it made her look surreal with her strong contrasting features. Blood just didn't seem appropriate for such a delicate character.

When we finished our bath there was a tray sitting on the table inside the room, a tray of food, plenty of food for that much. I could not have been more grateful, it was only then that I realized it had been over twelve hours since I last ate and instantly my stomach complained. We curled up in sheets and blankets because there were no clothes for us than sat down to eat, honestly if it wasn't for us, I did not care.

About a half hour after sitting down to eat Naomi and myself sat sipping tea and talking aimlessly when a female half-breed servant walked in, "Lady Kagome, milord requests your presence," she walked across the room and offered a bundle of clothes to me, I took them, why was he giving me clothes? "Dress and I shall take you to milord."

I looked at the servant than back at Naomi, I didn't know what was going on but I wasn't leaving Naomi here alone, "May I have a second dress for Naomi." The servant looked at me, staring at me like she wasn't sure what to do, than she nodded and walked out of the room, returning moments later with another bundle of clothes which she handed to Naomi, the servant walked out and shut the door, though I was willing to bet she was standing right outside the door waiting for us.

I was watching the door when Naomi spoke, "What's going on?"

I jerked my attention back to her, "I don't know, but I think we best just go with our good fortune at having food and clothes and see what's going on." Naomi agreed and we both dressed in the simple kimonos, they were all white and cut short at mid-thigh, they were more like robes, with long sleeves and a thin tie around the waist. We walked to the door and as I had suspected the servant stood waiting for us, the moment she saw us she turned and walked away, we followed her.

I was beyond irritated now, what was the matter with me? Two very delectable females kneeled before me both pleasantly filled out, one with black hair, the other brunette, both tasting me, both of them quite experienced in the act, their tongues danced across my member. I won't say I wasn't aroused because I was extremely aroused, the problem was I wasn't satisfied I wanted more, I wanted to hear Kagome's soft mewing while I touched her, I wanted the feel of her mouth on me while she struggled with the awkwardness of the new experience. Why was she having this effect on me? Why did it matter? Why her?

I wanted to see her porcelain body again, I wanted to have her at my mercy like I had that first day; the thought of her naked skin under my hands was doing more for me than the two females kneeling before me. Their scent was sweet but it didn't compete with Kagome's, hers was amazing, was it because she was a miko? Was she my drug and I addicted now? I didn't want to believe that, I refused to believe that, she was just another virgin, just another female. I was just playing with a new toy, no harm, I would grow bored of her too and she'd become just another female. I summoned her...

A servant went to fetch her I told them to offer her clothes because I knew Kagome wouldn't walk the halls naked willingly... oh how I loved to humiliate that girl, she enjoyed it so much. All the eyes on her, knowing how gorgeous she is, how they all wanted her, but she was mine... only for me. I would never again use her at a meeting no matter if I believe she deserved the punishment or not, it was a double edged sword and it struck deep.

I didn't want to return to Kagome earlier so I had gone down into the dungeons of the castle taking two of the virgins with me. I picked the room with the most articles of sexual torture because I thought torturing the girls would please me, of course, I hadn't gotten past letting them pleasure me with their mouths before I decided I wanted Kagome in here. Moments later she walked in and to my surprise so did Naomi, ironically they were both in the white kimonos, it seemed inappropriate for Naomi to wear the white though I knew some who would swear rape victims were still innocent. I was ready to demand Kagome to me but than her scent spiked a most intriguing scent... anger... why was she angry? I fed and clothed her and she's angry, than I followed her eyes which if looks could kill... she'd burn holes in the back of the two females before me if she kept glaring at them like that... was she... jealous?

I don't know what overcame me when I walked into that room, seeing those two females kneeling in front of Sesshoumaru, their tongues on him like they would eat him, like he was a piece of meat. His haori was open revealing his smooth chest; his hakama opened just enough to reveal him for the women to take him. I would have growled, but I was fighting not to let it show, not show how furious I was at seeing other females on Sesshoumaru... he was mine... mine? Wait... mine?

I watched those two females suck on him and it didn't matter the reason for my anger any more, just that it was there, I stalked over towards them. Sesshoumaru watched me I couldn't decipher the look in my clouded thoughts. I grabbed the brunette with a fist full of her hair and jerked her back, she yelped as I all but threw her away from him. I wedged myself between the other, making her pull away as I climbed over Sesshoumaru, straddling his lap, bent on claiming him as mine. Only when I saw his eyes, the grin on his face did I realize what I had just done and my face burned red with embarrassment, I almost stumbled to get away from him but his hand was suddenly on my back he pulled me too him and kissed me. He ground me down against his hard member, the skirt to short to protect me from him, I could feel him at my entrance, I thought I should be afraid for a split second than he started nibbling my bottom lip and I moaned. He pulled my legs up higher so his tip rubbed against my clit, than I felt more than two hands on me and I broke the kiss to see Naomi curling herself against my back, her arms wrapped around me and cradled my breasts, I moaned and vaguely I realized the other two girls had disappeared.

Naomi untied my kimono and I didn't fight as her hands slid under the fabric, her hands were cold against my nipples and they hardened for her. She started kissing my neck and shoulders, I leaned my head back and Sesshoumaru came forward to bite at the other side of my neck. Naomi held me so Sesshoumaru didn't have to, his hand moved between my spread legs to touch my slit, which was spread as well just from how far my legs were opened, he touched my clit, his cock no longer touching me, but I wanted to touch him, I'd never gotten too before so I started tentatively, on his chest, raking my nails along his skin, his muscles flexed under my hands, I didn't think it was intentional. I slid my hands low enough that I could feel the soft curls that surrounded him. I hesitated but then curiosity over won all other emotions and I touched him, when I did he slid a finger inside of me and I moved against his hand taking more of him into me and he let me this time.

I felt Naomi's hand against mine, she touched him too, her kneeling behind me, one hand was raking dull nails across my stomach, the other was on Sesshoumaru. Our fingers touched and danced together across his member and for a moment he stopped entirely, stopped suckling my neck, stopped fingering me while Naomi and I worked our hands across him in unison. I squeezed him and trailed my fingers across his tip and head, exploring him, while Naomi's fingers ran lower, sliding down the underside of him and cupping his testicals and rolling her fingers across them. Our fingers trailed across him in feather light motions, but we started getting rougher, I wrapped my fingers around him and pumped him while Naomi massaged his testicals.

I felt Naomi shift and I moved too so I wasn't straddling Sesshoumaru's entire waist, Naomi encouraged me into an odd position where I was straddling one of Sesshoumaru's legs, sitting on his thigh, my legs wide open in order for Naomi to be kneeling between both mine and Sesshoumaru's legs. Naomi was still working Sesshoumaru, but since I had to release him to move she took over running her hand up and down his length, her fingers didn't reach around him either I noticed. Naomi kept one hand on Sesshoumaru the other touched high up on my inner thigh, but Sesshoumaru and I were watching her curiously, than she leaned in and I went to stop her but Sesshoumaru caught my wrists and leaned over to me kissing me when Naomi's tongue flicked across my clit, I moaned instantly, wiggling, but with one leg trapped on the other side of Sesshoumaru and Naomi holding the other back I couldn't stop her from licking me. I whimpered when Naomi's mouth took my clit and started sucking on it.

Sesshoumaru lead both of my hands to his cock while Naomi worked me with her mouth, he never let my lips go as he taught me to move my hands across him, Naomi had moved away to focus on me, so I focused on him. He let go of my hands and I worked him unaided, his hands moved to me, touching my breasts, squeezing them than practically petting them, the quick alterations from rough to gentle was irritating and delightful at the same time.

I gasped when Naomi slid two fingers inside of me, she was small so two of her fingers was only like one and a half of Sesshoumaru's maybe less, but then she spread her fingers inside of me. I struggled and Sesshoumaru held me while Naomi's tongue flicked inside of me, her fingers holding me open so she could lick the inside of me, teasing the skin around my entrances that was pulled tight from her spread fingers. Together they tormented me, Sesshoumaru caressed me and fondled me while Naomi licked me and sucked on me. Sesshoumaru leaned over me and started sucking on my nipple, nibbling it softly, it was becoming to much when I thought I couldn't take any more when I was sure I would cum suddenly Naomi was gone and I cried out in frustration, opening my eyes to see Sesshoumaru holding Naomi back by all that luscious red hair. I glared at him and he just grinned at me, Naomi watched the interaction and I could see the evil smile spread across her lips, something that seemed out of place on her face but made her seem dangerous; she caught on quickly to our game.

Sesshoumaru let Naomi go and he picked me up and laid me on the ground removing his clothes before it could hinder him. Naomi crawled over to me and kissed me, her tongue in my mouth, I could taste myself on her, when she pulled away I could see Sesshoumaru he'd sat back down, watching us, I blushed as I realized he was hard and his gaze was intense. "Pleasure her..." he spoke quietly, his voice was thick and husky... god that was sexy.

I looked up at Naomi and all but pounced her, pushing her onto her back, pulling open her kimono she blushed up at me, she seemed very shy and suddenly I knew why, no one pleasured her... ever... she was a toy to pleasure others that's why she knew exactly how to work us because she always did all the work. I was eager to show her pleasure even if I wasn't as skilled as her I knew the female body better than a male's. I made her spread her legs so I could lay between them, I was nervous because I'd never taken control like this before, but I wanted to, I liked that Sesshoumaru was watching us, that he was turned on by us. I leaned over her to taste her breasts but she stopped me, covering herself and I smiled, taking her arms and pulling them away, I nuzzled her chest flicking my hair over the expanse of skin, I heard her giggle and felt her squirm, she was so petite in comparison to me it wasn't hard for me to hold her down. I grabbed her nipple in my mouth and bit it softly she whimpered and I sucked, she moaned and I twisted it between my teeth. I grinded my hips into hers, I could feel her wetness above my own sex, forcing her nether lips open from the pressure so her clit rubbed against me. I used my hands on her breasts, fondling her and squeezing the small mounds of flesh, I pinched her nipples. Since I let her go she put her hands on me, she tried for my sex and I stopped her, made her put her arms around me and just let me have my way with her, she obeyed the silent command, she put her hands on my back and in my hair, clenching fists into my hair and pulling when I'd do something she particularly enjoyed... I liked it.

I nipped my way down her stomach licking her belly button and leaving hickies on her hip, than I got to her sex, I nuzzled against her lips, pressing my nose into her as Sesshoumaru had done to me the first night: I tried to mimic what he did to me. I used my hands to hold her thighs open as my thumbs pulled her lips nice and wide so I could run my tongue against her entrance. The taste was strange, it wasn't absolutely horrible, but intriguing, it made me want to taste more just to try and identify its flavor. I struggled to hold her down, suddenly knowing why Sesshoumaru always made me sit still for him to pleasure me: it was quite a bother with her squirming. I rolled my tongue into her entrance, tasting inside of her and licking her up, I used one finger to slide inside of her as deep as I could as she arched her back and moaned. I moved up to her clit, holding her lips open so I could lick her clit over and over and over, it was driving her wild while she squirmed and whimpered, her nails were digging into the rug she laid on, trying not to thrash about. She did thrash however when I took her clit into my mouth and suckled it, I started gently because I knew how sensitive the clit was and started testing how rough I could be, she liked it all, so I caught the little nub with my teeth and rolled it gently. I could feel Naomi's thighs convulsing under my palms while I fought to hold her down. I moved two fingers into her and twisted them around inside of her, curiously exploring what made her woman. I was unprepared when she came but I knew she had from the amount of liquids that gushed out of her, I knew how the afterglow of an orgasm was so I continued to lick her while her moans became fewer and softer until she lay panting before me.

I pulled away vaguely wondering if that was the first time she ever came, did she ever pleasure herself before she came into the custody of Lord Raidon, did he care in the least if she felt release? Sesshoumaru didn't give me release at first, but I don't think it was because he didn't care, I know it wasn't, quite the opposite really, I think he did care, he enjoyed playing with me, else why would he go through so much trouble to torture me?

I sat up to looked down at the recovering Naomi but just as I did Sesshoumaru was on me, he pushed me forward so I ended up over Naomi, still between her thighs. His hand grabbed my ass and he gave it a hard smack that was likely to leave a hand print but it caused me to moan. He bit my shoulder while he slid his hand down my ass and rubbed my entrance from behind, his fingers were inside of me, but I was already so turned on he didn't need to fool around, he forced two fingers into me and I arched into Naomi whose eyes were on my face, like she was mesmerized just from watching me. She touched my chest, teasing my nipples, pinching them and twisting them until it almost hurt, she leaned into them and licked them than she blew on them and it was cold like ice.

Sesshoumaru pulled me up to my hands and knees; he still had his fingers inside of me but quickly pulled them out so he had a hand on each side of my ass, pulling on the thick mounds of flesh. I was nervous instantly of what he was going to do, in fact I already knew, but I didn't stop him, I'd wait to see if it hurt... I was willing to experiment. Than his tip was against my anus, I was wet from the amount of precum that dribbled from my vagina soaking my anus as well. I squinted my eyes as he pushed against me, sliding into me, it hurt because he was so large and that hole was not meant to have something so big inside of it. He pushed himself deep and I whimpered from the slight pain, he pulled out slowly like it was difficult than pushed back in, he did this several times before I could start to feel the release in pressure, it didn't feel so painfully tight any more. Slowly he increased the speed, moving faster in and out of my anus, slapping my ass occasionally which only made it that much better.

I saw Naomi beneath me, touching me, caressing me, I felt like I should touch her too but I was using all my energy just to hold myself up over her. I felt bad that she was trapped beneath me but she didn't see to mind. Than Sesshoumaru grabbed one of my arms and I thought I'd fall face first into Naomi but he pulled me up so my back was arched, Naomi took the invitation and attacked my nipples full force, biting them and rolling them between her teeth until they were red and swollen from abuse, than she cover them in her saliva and blew on them until they were ice cold.

I felt like a doll while they both touched me, Sesshoumaru moving in my anus, faster and faster, it was so intense, I'd never considered anal before, honestly I always found it disturbing but as he took me I could only think of how amazing it felt. Naomi abandoned my nipples and moved lower, she didn't waste any time going for my exposed clit, my labia drawn back from the pleasure, and me to busy trying to hold myself up and being held by Sesshoumaru to even contemplate stopping her. She started licking my engorged and exposed clit, licking it over and over, than she added two fingers into my vagina and I thought I'd lose it. I clenched my interior muscles and Sesshoumaru growled his pleasure when he came into my ass, I gasped and threw my head back in my release just as Naomi's mouth took my clit again, sucking it vigorously. She lapped up my nectar like a cat drinking their milk, I panted and Sesshoumaru's arms wrapped around my waist his chin rested on my shoulder. I turned my head and stared at him a moment, than I licked his cheek, he stared at me and for a moment I thought he would smile, but he just closed his eyes, breathing heavily. He laid us both down by Naomi, pulling himself from me; Naomi curled into my front, nuzzling my chest while I came down from my high. I felt so dazed and out of it, Naomi closed her eyes, hiding those stunning azure eyes from me, than I realized she was falling asleep and seen that as a pretty damn good idea. I cuddled into Sesshoumaru's arms, which had opened to encompass Naomi's small form as well and I all but passed out.


	6. Chapter 6

They both fell asleep on the rug and I wasn't sure how, I thought it was quite uncomfortable. I struggled a bit to get around them without waking either of the girls, I needed to get my feet under me before I lifted them both, but once I did they were easy to carry, both of them were so light. I took them back to my quarters, and no, I have no shame in walking the halls of MY palace nude.

I settled them both into the bed watching them as they cuddled into each other in their sleep, I left them there, there was no way to tell how long they'd be asleep but let them, Kagome had more than pleased me today. I closed the thick wooden shutters for the window to block out the sun and headed to the bathroom, I needed another wash after such activities.

The bath was short, no reason to prolong it when there was no one else around to enjoy it with, I dressed and headed out of the room I needed to see to other things... Rin for instants. I tried to make sure I visited the child daily but really she shouldn't be here, there was no family for her, no friends her age, she was doomed to a life in solitude if I kept her here, but I couldn't imagine offering her up to a village either. Could I trust they would take care of her? No, I could only trust myself to that duty.

I found the rambunctious child in the gardens, two nurses were chasing after her while she circled the koi pond. "Rin" I said her name just loud enough to make her glance up, she stopped running to see me before darting towards me. There was something about the attention she offered that was different... she didn't discriminate, by the time an individual starts speaking people are pressuring them with what's good and bad, what's right and wrong, humans teach humans that demons are bad, that there is a monster under their bed that will eat them if they're not good, that there is actually a large man with white hair and a white beard who falls down their chimney and gives them presents once a year... Rin's not like that, I believe her parents died before she was old enough to be influenced by these tales and lies that humans spread. No one else felt the need to teach her, it wasn't their responsibility, and that's why she didn't fear me, no human had taught her that I was dangerous, that I might hurt her. She was going on nine years old and she was oblivious to the way the world actually functioned... I wasn't sure I could taint that innocence... there was something about it. I think on some level I was envious of her ignorance.

She ran head first into my leg and made a quick apology for it, though I knew she wasn't sorry, I touched the top of her head, patting her as I stared down at her, "Have you finished your studies?" She was growing up and I didn't know if I could keep her here, she needed a real life with other humans; she could not have that here. I realized that I feared she would be abused under anyone else's care. She jerked her head yes to my question before I ushered her inside for the mid day meal. I ate with her because I felt like I should; she talked incessantly about flowers and about small animals she would chase and would always elude her. She rambled on about the nurses and her studies, she was learning how to read and write... why? Because it was only appropriate for a lady of the palace to be educated. She didn't know I'd brought Kagome here, just as well, she didn't need to know about the females that were here at all.

Rin finished her meal and I gave her permission to return to the gardens with two nurses reluctantly following after her. I exited as well, returning to my quarters to see the two girls still asleep; it had only been an hour and a half, two hours at most. I stripped and curled in behind Kagome, wrapping an arm around her waist and nuzzling into her hair, she had such a soothing scent, it was hard not to just fade off into the aroma of her.

I woke up in the warmth that could only be Sesshoumaru because I didn't want to think of it as being anyone else his size, I glanced over my shoulder just to reassure myself, his platinum hair falling into my face. I blew it off, his eyes were still shut, he was asleep, I turned back to see Naomi facing me but across the bed, Sesshoumaru had a death grip on my waist holding me locked against him. I wanted to reach out and pull Naomi to us, I felt her loneliness radiate off of her even in her sleep, it was so thick and prominent I felt like I could never actually touch her because of the negative emotions that locked around her person. I touched a tendril of her red hair, spilling around her like blood... didn't I say it didn't look like blood? Well it did now... like she was bleeding to death or all ready gone and the blood was spilling around her, the image seemed too real. I reached to her and brushed the blood hair back behind her so I could see her skin was unmarred, silly maybe, but it reassured me anyway.

She shifted and stirred, her eyes blinking slowly, focusing I could see her pupils change size before they focused on me and she smiled, only now could I see how pathetic that smile was, it was depressing really, she was so beautiful, why was she here, why was she like this? She wiggled across the bed and I wrapped my arms around her, snuggling into her as she did to me and even with Sesshoumaru's arms around me that feeling that only girls ever experience, that complete comfort with a special friend when you hug them after telling them the person you loved hurt you - I don't know who was comforting who, maybe it was mutual but I've never felt like a person needed me like Naomi does.

Sesshoumaru's hand drifted across my stomach grazing his claws over the skin, making me shiver. His hand stopped low on my abdomen, it doesn't matter all that I've done with him, it doesn't matter that once he's turned me on I'll melt, all that matters is that I'm nervous and embarrassed and I still feel like he shouldn't touch me. He pulled my hips back and I could feel him against my bottom, I blushed and looked up to Naomi, why do I melt for him? Why when previously demons that I didn't know any better than him touched me and it scared me, why was he different? It bothered me that I wasn't afraid of him touching me, just nervous, wasn't this suppose to be for people who loved each other? I certainly didn't love him and he didn't love me... oh my poor morals...

"Leave, Naomi," It was so harsh and sudden both she and I jumped in reaction, he'd practically growled out the words against my throat. Naomi was looking at me, I looked at her and I knew she was asking me if I wanted her to leave... I didn't, but I didn't want her here either so I silently told her to leave. She scurried out of the bed, picking up one of the discarded kimonos and rushing out of the room.

Sesshoumaru didn't seem angry but you could never tell with him. He bit my neck and it hurt, he was rough and he didn't let go, grinding his teeth into my neck practically chewing on me. I clutched the pillow and whimpered because I was afraid to do anything else.

I think the only thing that kept me from marking her right there was the fear that suddenly over rode her amazing scent, it was suffocating. I usually enjoy the smell of fear but only in the appropriate setting... the bedroom was not the place for it. I let her go abruptly and she whined softly into the pillow, I wonder why she hadn't said anything. I moved and crawled over top of her so she was beneath me, she looked frightened and I didn't like that it bothered me so much. She wouldn't meet my eyes, it was the proper way for a slave to be... but not for Kagome, she always looked at me, showing her defiance and her lack of fear. I turned her face to look at me, met her eyes and for a moment I just watched her deep blue eyes, than she blinked and I focused again. Her fear was still in the air but it wasn't devouring my senses any more, I leaned down and nuzzled into her neck, she giggled, I loved hearing her laugh, it was so pure and innocent... and so real, when she laughed she was seriously laughing, there was some form of joy in her when she laughed, it seemed to brighten the entire atmosphere. I captured her wrists and pinned them back against the bed so I could nuzzle her chest as well, she has such a lovely body, amazingly curvaceous, with just enough muscle to keep her skin tight but not outlined, I preferred the squishiness... because I can't think of a better term to describe the softness to her belly.

She wiggled in my grip and for whatever reason I let her go, she touched my face and her hands were soft and delicate, they were slightly calloused but I knew that was from using the bow, most of the females I run into work hard labor day in and day out and their hands are dry and rough. I turned my head and kissed her palm, closing my eyes to relish the feel of her touching me. She was stunning and I was addicted to her.

"Why did you make Naomi leave?" I looked at her, just watched her, why did I make her leave? Because I disliked the comfort you two have? Because I hated that you happily curl into Naomi but I must hold you down to receive your favor? While truthful, I wasn't going to tell her that.

"Her place is not here," No, I want your attention on me, no ones going to protect you from me because you don't need protecting... so I liked to tell myself, but as I looked down at her I was wondering if I would need protection from her. I kissed her because I can't stand having her so close and not touching her, not making her want me like I crave her. She made the most alluring sounds when we kissed; it was amazing how she would mew and moan into my mouth from the simplest actions. She kissed me back and I coaxed her tongue into my mouth sucking on it and riding my tongue against hers. She put her arms around my neck and I leaned down onto her, trying to tell myself I wouldn't take her, I would not take her, I will not take her... god I want her... She squirmed beneath me, rubbing herself against me, I had to growl at her because if she did that again it wouldn't be just that I wanted her, it would be that I've taken her...

I pulled away when she grinded against me again, did she have any idea at all what she was doing? I climbed off the bed and left her laying on her back, she made me think, think things I didn't want to think, I wanted to torture her for it, because than I know what I'm feeling and what I'm thinking. She's taking more from me than I'm willing to give, she's just a slave, damn it, for my amusement and enjoyment, nothing more.

She tugged at the blankets struggling to cover herself, I growled at her and grabbed the blanket and yanked it off the bed, she yelped and used her hands to hide herself. Good... I wanted her embarrassed and humiliated, it's the way it should be. "Come here, Kitten..." She looked around as if seeking an escape, "there is no where to go, don't make me tell you twice." There was anticipation in her scent, curious as to what I would do to her... it made me want to rise to meet the challenge, oh what could I possibly do to her now? For certain I would never let someone else touch her again, but...

She came up to me finally, timid still trying to cover herself, there would be none of that. I had a new collar waiting for her since she obliterated the last one. I took it out from one of the drawers on the side table. Her eyes went wide at the sight of it and she darted away from me, but not to the exit, she didn't want to leave the room naked. I stalked her into a corner and she darted following the wall, I let her, but I changed courses to follow her as she bumped into the desk and struggled to find a way around it. She did, but I'd almost gotten to her by the time she scurried around the object, I jumped over the desk and pinned her against the wall, forcing the collar around her neck while she thrashed and screamed 'No' over and over. Due to her screaming I forced a ball gag in her mouth as well. She struggled to get the gag out but I held her hands as I locked wrist bindings onto her hands which held her hands close together than connected to the collar so her hands were held up by her breasts with little room to move. She glared daggers at me and I just smirked at her, I liked this better, I understood this.

I held one of the green balls in front of her, her eyes were wide as she shook her head back and forth, backing up into the wall, I forced her against the wall and lifted her, spreading her legs around my waist. She whimpered and whined, her cried muffled by the gag as I touched her, her cries turned into moans only moments after I slid the ball into her. She shifted and rotated her hips with the little ball tormenting her. I enjoyed her pleasure, her torture really, I preferred to not let her orgasm so she was suspended in a state of indefinite pleasure, her scent coating the room and air. I picked up the leash and her eyes were half lidded, I'm not sure she registered what it was through the fog of her own pleasure. I attached her leash to the collar beside the chain for her wrist bindings and headed out of the room. I heard her cries and pleas, but paid them no mind, she needed this... I needed this.

I took her into the dinning room - which was currently empty - where I made her sit down in one of the wooden chairs and started tying her down to the chair. I started at her thighs, spreading them and tying them at the knee to the arms of the chair so her legs were spread and hiked up. I added a rope around her middle and at her throat so she was held back but not tight enough to hurt her or choke her, just snug. I tied her ankles back as well, pulling a rope from high on the back legs to her ankle and forcing her to bend her knees so her leg was pulled back as far as possible, maybe a bit uncomfortable but I wasn't to worried about her being in the best of comfort else I wouldn't be tying her up. Last I released her wrists from her collar but it still held her wrists together, and forced her to arch her back so her hands could be tied behind her head.

I ran my claws over her sides and her exposed underarms tickling her, she struggled but she could hardly move, if at all, and the chair itself was too heavy for it to even budge under her relentless struggling. I kept tickling her just to prove a point at how helpless she was, that no matter how much she struggled her begging into her gag it wouldn't effect her bindings, the chair or me. A tear formed at the corner of her eye and I knew it was from her muffled laughter. I smirked at her as I slowly pulled out the green ball, she was already aroused and our audience would be here any minute. She moaned when it twisted and curled around inside of her, resisting to being pulled out of her, but eventually it came out and she shivered.

At first I thought he wasn't going to stop tickling me, I thought he'd tickling me until I couldn't hold it any more, tickling me until I was forced to relieve myself in front of him, than he stopped and I breathed heavily, I won't admit that some where in my mind I don't think I wanted him to stop, I think I wanted him to humiliate me to the ultimate degree. He went for the ball, it hadn't been in me very long but it still did its job and left me panting and moaning. I clenched my thighs while he pulled it out, whimpering at the loss of its torture.

He stood up suddenly and the doors opened, in marched the three other Lords, I assume, as well as several others with them, I did notice that my "audience" was not half as large as it had been earlier. I was soaking... Their eyes caught me and the looked me over, many of them their eyes stopped on my dripping sex, I wondered if I was leaking on to the chair. I could feel the heat of my humiliation burning up my cheeks and across my chest. My breasts were forced out from the odd position, it also kept me from looking away which forced me to watch them while they ogled me. They stared at my sex and I struggled to cover myself, wishing I could close my thighs. Sesshoumaru stepped to the side, he'd been blocking some of them from their view of me. He stood behind me, putting his hands over the back of the chair, sliding the down my body and back up, touching my nipples and flicking them, I flinched. He pulled my hair back, some how, even though it hadn't hidden anything I felt even more exposed with my hair tugged behind me. He ran his hands down my sides and over my hips to the insides of my thighs were he massaged the flesh, his thumbs brushed my nether lips - the audience never flinched, some of them I could see were aroused by this, others I could tell through their open mouths, breathing heavily.

Sesshoumaru slid his finger against my slit, pressing just enough to slid the digit between my labia, I moaned while he circled my clit, trying to wiggle and move against him to no avail. He dipped his finger inside of me and I was panting against the gag. Some of the demons pulled out chairs from the table and took seats, their gaze was so intense, devouring my humiliation. He slid his finger deep and I heard someone gasp from the audience, I knew it hadn't been me because I couldn't make that clear of a sound with the gag in place. He started fingering me with just the one finger, pumping in and out of me slowly, his other hand caught my breast, squeezing it and pinching the nipple. I groaned and thrashed against my bondage, he remained behind me so the audience got all of me and just his hands torturing me... humiliating me... owning me... I moaned when he slid a second finger into me, crying from the torture while he worked me with the two fingers. I could see the audience through a haze; their eyes seemed mesmerized I wasn't sure they were actually seeing me. He started using his thumb on my clit, grinding it and circling it, pumping me all the while. I cried while I took the delightful punishment because I couldn't moan loud enough to sedate my need to release the pressure - because that's what moaning does, it releases the pressure. I thought I would lose it when he forced a third finger into me, when he moved faster and flicked my clit over and over, I thought I'd finish, but I should have known better, just as I thought I would be relieved he stopped. I screamed but it was muffled so it didn't sound like much, so I thrashed and struggled, the audience laughed and I looked at them in horror while they snickered and coughed at my torture. I wanted more... I liked it... their eyes, the torture, the humiliation of being watched by so many eyes.

Their eyes shifted from me to behind me and I wanted to turn to see what it was but I couldn't, luckily I didn't have to wait long, unluckily three naked females walked around me, all of them held feathers. My eyes shot wide, I'd wondered why he would tie me up in such an odd position, I didn't think it was just so he could tickle me for a short frame before the audience came in. I stared at the three girls, one of them smiled wickedly and I knew she'd enjoy this, one didn't show any emotion at all that I could tell, and the last just looked like she wanted to go run and hide, trying to hide herself behind the other girls who didn't seem to care that they were naked. The girl with the smile took Sesshoumaru's place behind me, just as I seen him walk around in front of me and take a seat as well, I stared at him in horror as the other two girls kneeled down on either side of me... by my... oh god... feet...

It started soft and gently, the girl behind me stroked her feathers down my sides and I squirmed, but I didn't laugh. She stroked them back up and I choked on a laugh. The other two girls started, first the right foot with a feather between my toes, I wiggled my toes but the binding on my foot was secure and I could hardly move my foot at all as the other slid the feather down the length of my foot. The one behind me circled one of my breasts, going under the mound of flesh where it was most ticklish and sawing the feather back and forth until I laughed into the gag, she chuckled behind me and the other feather went to my underarm brushing it back and forth while I struggled with hardly any movement from the action. The bindings were too well tied I couldn't do anything as the other two suddenly ambushed my feet, using both feathers, one on the bottom while the other one weaved between my toes. I was crying and laughing before long, tears rushing down my cheeks as they continued to tickle me. The girl behind me discarded her feathers to use her hands; she didn't have claws so I assume she was human while she danced her fingers across my side. One of the girls at my feet keeping one feather on my foot reached the other arm under my thigh and danced a feather across my nether lips. I cried and whimpered but there was no mercy, I couldn't even beg for mercy and I think that's what made me enjoy it so much, I know my pussy was dripping from the onslaught of tickle torture. The girl behind me picked up a feather again and slid it into and over my belly button, I thrashed but nothing moved. I didn't know how much longer I could hold off, how much more I could endure, than I remembered the audience and I was struck by the horror of being forced to relieve myself in front of so many people. I was so turned on, still being tickled mercilessly, they attack my most sensitive places: my sides, underarms, under my breasts, the backs of my knees, the bottoms of my feet, between my toes, around my neck and even the lips of my sex and inner thighs. I knew I wasn't going to be able to hold off any more and it was like they kicked the torture up a notch, moving faster, tickling more skin quicker. I fought with all my worth, thrashing and struggling, I could feel the need to relieve myself make itself known to the audience as I dripped the golden liquid. I cried from the humiliation before I released myself entirely from the force of never ending tickle torture. The girls chuckled and I could feel the warm liquid against my thighs, the audience snickers and laughed and I dropped my head, my nipples were hard and my slit with dripping with more than just my pleasure now and still I could not hide myself, I could not run out of the room in shame. Their eyes drank up my humiliation and I think that's what kept me aroused through all of this, never allowing me release. The girls tickled me until I stopped urinating, than they stopped and laughed, backing off and hopefully leaving. Hopefully it was over... but I was too afraid to look up, I didn't want to see the laughter in their eyes, I didn't want to see if any of them were aroused from my humiliation... I didn't want anyone to see how much I liked it... so I kept my head bowed and my eyes closed.


	7. Chapter 7

He made me walk out of the room with my shame on my thighs, I hated him... hated him with a passion, and hated him even more when the audience parted for us. He held me by the leash, my hands tied in front of me attached to the collar so I couldn't pull my hands down. They laughed, but they didn't touch me, I think it had something to do with the look on Sesshoumaru's face, which I couldn't see but by the way they would glance at his face before turning their attention to me said enough. He walked me back to his room and into the bathroom where he all but thrust me into the tub of steaming water. I surfaced and he was kneeling at the edge, reaching to me before I could react he released my wrists and took off the binds, than took the gag from my mouth.

"Clean yourself," It was all he said...

I stared at him, "How dare you!" I screamed it and for a split second I wanted to take it back, "What did I do to deserve such humiliation! Why did you do that to me! I've been nothing but obedient and you humiliate me like that!" I yelled.

His face never changed, just stared at me until I finished and than he smirked, "You sound like your ready for round two?" I shut up and just stared at him, there was no winning. "I didn't think so. Remember, Kagome, you belong to me, I don't need a reason for what I do, but it only gets worse if you fight." I didn't know what could be worse than what he'd done to me in the dinning hall but I didn't want to find out. I remained silent and put my head down, I didn't want to see his face, but I did see his feet when he turned and left.

I cried because I hated him so much, I hated him for torturing me in ways my body loved, but were so humiliating and degrading, I hated that the entire time it happened I loved it and only once I thought clearly again did it bother me. He's let strange demons touch me and now this? Why all the public humiliation... _because you like it_... and I hated that I did. Some where in the mist of my crying Naomi had come in, she climbed into the water with me and wrapped her arms around my waist from behind, nuzzling into my shoulder, she didn't speak, just held me while I cried. I didn't know if she knew what happened, I wanted to tell her how horrible it was but at the same time I didn't want her to know, she didn't need my sorrow when she had so much of her own to deal with. I turned towards her and hugged her back, resting my cheek against her collar; she kissed the top of my head.

I hated hearing her cry, I thought I wanted her anger, thought I wanted something other than the emotions that had been brewing between us, but now that it was in front of me I wasn't sure what to do with it. I sent Naomi in after her and left because I couldn't ignore the sound of her crying.

I went to check on Jaken, I'd left him days ago to see to the smaller villages - because I couldn't trust him with the bigger ones - and also to see how the reconstruction of the slayers tribe was coming along. The slayers tribe had once been a great village of human warriors who would take care of lesser vermin so I wouldn't have to be bothered with them, since Naraku destroyed it I've had all these little complaints on my door step so it was one of the first things on my list of to-do-things: see the slayer's tribe brought back to its former glory.

I found Jaken squawking at a servant about mindless house chores, I liked my palace clean and I never seemed to have a problem with the cleanliness of it, perhaps it was Jaken who stayed on top of them, I never really stopped to think about it. "Jaken," he stiffened visibly and instantly turned, falling onto his knees as he did. I don't understand why that little toad shows such an extreme amount of fear, if I haven't killed him yet what makes him think I will now? He was chanting his apologies and begging for my mercy, it really did start to get irritating, "Reports for the slayer's tribe?"

He jumped up suddenly I could imagine the action hurt his back, not my problem. "Oh yes, milord, I've placed them on your desk!" My study, good, I turned and left. I had given him a writer so he could have reports written for me instead of having to listen to him stutter on and on about whatever the issue was. I arrived in my study and went to see the report, it was short, direct and to the point, just how I liked it. They had started rebuilding the huts, but repopulating the village was going to be difficult, he was requesting to take some of the western soldiers and use them as trainers for the human recruits. We would go to over populated villages and take volunteers first but if the village offered none, I told them to draft. I signed off the report and set it into a separate pile for Jaken to see to. I turned to the massive pile of still unread reports and mail... there were days I hated this job. I picked up the first sheet and began the tedious task.

I think I'd only been reading for about ten minutes before a servant knocked on the door, I gave her entrance and she sat down a tray of sake and glasses, it was almost mandatory by now, they just knew that when I went into my study to bring me sake. I stared at it and the servant asked if I would like anything else, I thought, I did want something else, but it probably wasn't appropriate to bring her in here. She would surely distract me, though, honestly I'm still not sure what I've been reading these past ten minutes, it kind of went in and went out without ever stopping to say hello. Hell with it, maybe she'd stopped crying, she calmed me to a strange solitude that nothing has ever done for me, I wanted her around, I admit it, so there.

"Yes, bring Kagome to me." The servant nodded without a question and headed out of the room. I waited... and waited... and waited... alright sake... and waited some more, where the hell was she. Than I could hear her down the hall screaming at the top of her lungs, I hissed because it wasn't what I had been hoping for. I could hear her struggling and the grunts of several other servants, or maybe they were guards, as they dragged her down the hall. A knock came and I stood up and went to the door this time. I saw Kagome and reached out grabbing her chin, "Stop this nonsense." I commanded her and the look she gave me almost made ME recoil. She glared at me as if I were Satan himself. I growled at her and grabbed her arm as she continued to struggle and scream, yanking her into the study and all but throwing her into the corner. I gave her my back to close and lock the door and that was a mistake - she attacked me. She jumped onto my back and I was reminded of how light and delicate she was with her futile attempts at taking me down.

I grabbed Kagome's wrist and pulled her around and partially over my shoulder, flipping her onto a large seating pillow. I climbed on top of her and straddled her waist, grabbing her wrists and holding her back, she screamed so I covered her mouth with mine, she bit me and I bit her back. I was getting frustrated with this, so I pulled the white tie to her simple kimono that she used when I wasn't forcing her to leave naked, yanking the material open to expose her skin. I used the tie to wrap around her wrists and tying them behind her back which was a bit difficult but I managed. I pulled away from her mouth and she started screaming again so I smacked her, it was really a light hit for what I could have done but it knocked her to the side and when she turned her head back her lip was bleeding, but she'd stopped screaming. I grabbed her by the chin and kissed her mouth, she didn't respond at all, she didn't shift or move as I licked the blood from her mouth that might have been a worse response... I think I preferred her fighting me to her sudden apathy.

I picked her up and sat down in the chair, sitting her on one thigh with her knees turned in between my legs. I nuzzled into her shoulder and picked up the page I was reading and went back to it with Kagome sitting silently in my lap. I could smell her anger, hell it was etched into her face but her scent was still sweet and it still was better than sitting here without her, perhaps she would relax if I didn't touch her.

I hated him, I hated him so much, I didn't want to be here, but there was nothing I could do, so I ignored him, if he touched me I refused to respond, I don't care why my body wanted, I'm stopping now. To my utter surprise he sat me on his lap like children sit when they go to see Santa and picked up a sheet of paper and started reading it. My curiosity got the better of me and I started reading it as well, the hand writing was beautiful, probably technically called calligraphy, each letter was a piece of art. I read it, it was talking about a coming out party for one of the Lord's daughters, his name was Lord Akatsu, though I didn't know what quarter of the lands he held, his daughter was Lady Yuki. The letter seemed to go on and on about how they would be eager to see Sesshoumaru there and how delighted they would be with his presence, it seemed a bit over done.

Sesshoumaru put the sheet down and pulled out a blank one, I watch him write in just a beautiful writing... I was jealous, my hand writing was miserable, but they wrote in mini masterpieces. He wrote a response saying he would attend, his was much shorter, straight to the point, I guess it wasn't necessary to be so elaborate and full of mush and bullshit.

I don't know how long I sat on his lap while he read through the papers; he would shift me on his lap every now and then. At one point he made me agree to not struggle or fight him and he would let me go, I agreed of course. With the use of my hands back I pulled the kimono closed and tied the belt back around it, keeping it in place. He told me to pull a pillow up that he wanted me beside him; I thought it was strange that he wanted me around at all and wasn't molesting me, but I did as he asked and sat beside his chair. I was only sitting there for about five minutes before I got on my knees and looked over the arm of the chair at what he was doing, reading each page as he went through them.

Sesshoumaru looked back at me and I quickly sat back down, he actually smiled at me, "You can read..." it wasn't much of a question, it sounded more like a statement but I nodded. "Where did you learn to read?"

I looked at him, "Back home everyone has schooling," I realized only after I said it that it wasn't the best answer; I should have lied or been less blunt.

"Where are you from that they teach their women?" And that was why I shouldn't have said it.

"Oh... humm... I'm from... ya know... far away..." that was smooth...

He looked at me with a brow raised, he leaned over and picked me up from the ground, positioning me on his lap again as he had earlier, it bugged me how he could practically throw me around like I was nothing. "I know you have a better answer than that." He kissed me; it was so quick and ended just as quickly that I was left blinking, not sure if it had actually happened. "I ask again, where are you from?"

"Really... I ahh..." I looked down at the plush rug beneath the chair and desk, trying to come up with a good answer, "I live by the well..." Well in the well really.

He kissed me again, this time for a split second longer, taking my bottom lip and suckling it before pulling back, "Does this place by the well have a name?"

What the hell was he doing? I tried for honesty, "Tokyo..."

Again he kissed me, this time he gripped my chin while he slid his tongue into my mouth, I didn't respond, I was still mad at him, but that didn't seem to detour him as he wedged his tongue into my mouth and explored, dancing across my teeth and grazing the top of my mouth, reaching to touch my tongue. I pulled away and to my surprise he let me. "I've never heard of Tokyo before, but the well is within my lands, I know all villages within my lands... but you're not lying either. Perhaps you will take me to this village some time." I didn't speak just nodded, hopefully he would never ask again.

He kissed me again, this time his hands ran into my hair, cradling the back of my neck, his other hand ran down my shoulders and over my back, he didn't pull the kimono off and I was grateful to keep my clothes for now. I touched his chest while he kissed me, he licked my lips and I finally opened my mouth and ran my tongue against his. He purred and I moaned into his mouth. He held me between my shoulder blades and I kept my hands on his chest keeping a certain distance between us while we kissed. He was an amazing kisser, and I couldn't help but submit, I loved when he kissed me even if I didn't like what he'd done to me earlier, his kisses were still divine.

He pulled away slowly and I realized I was panting. His eyes were on my, those molten amber eyes, staring into me, piercing me, but I got the impression he was just as trapped by me. He picked me up and carried me bridal style out of the room, taking me a direction I did not recognize but knew it wasn't back to his room. I stayed silent as he walked me down several flights of stairs and finally out large double doors to the outside.

I smiled at the sight of the gardens, the sakura trees were beautiful with light pink petals, the ground was a thick layer of plushy green from grass to bushes, sprouting out colors of flowers, pink, blue, purple, orange, all of them arranged so they complimented each other. He walked a stone pathway, past a koi pond with colorful fish swimming around and back into the trees, past the sakura trees and into a thicket of willows where their branches seemed like a curtain. I wanted to ask him to put me down and let me walk but just as I was about to he stopped in the middle of a small clearing, obviously arranged that way, by the way flowers circled the patch of grass.

He laid me down and laid beside me, traping me with one leg and one arm thrown over me, he nuzzled into my neck and I squirmed and looked over at him. His eyes were closed and there was a slight curve to his lip, it was strange but he looked unreal with the sun dancing between the leaves and caressing his skin. A stray strand of silver hair fell over his face just as his eyes opened and he stared at me, suddenly he wasn't the cold hearted killer, he wasn't the one who tortured and humiliated me, he was someone else, someone beautiful and peaceful, someone who seemed unphased and pure of the darkness. It was strange to see him that way. I brushed the strand of hair back and he watched my fingers, resting his head on my collar, I laid my head back as well and we laid there, it didn't seem right to be so comfortable with him, to feel so serene with his head upon my breasts. I placed one hand over his hand on my waist and the other at the back of his neck, burying my fingers into his hair, he purred while I ran my fingers through his hair.

"You're scent is divine..." I didn't see his face when he spoke but when I looked down his eyes were closed again and he just seemed serene, I didn't know what to say so I didn't say anything at all, just laid my head back and went back to petting his hair.

I thought about his scent, it was strong and earthy, the few times I wasn't haunted by the cruel things he did to me I could find comfort in his scent, it was so stable and powerful, and I felt like that power extended to me when I was close to him and he wasn't torturing me. I wanted to tell him, but I was afraid it would destroy the peace of the moment. I closed my eyes and felt tired with him so close, his scent lulled me into an abyss of bliss. I felt myself fading into sleep, his claw was drawing small circles on my stomach and I didn't care. I vaguely remembered the sound of his voice, "What are you doing to me?"


	8. Chapter 8

I'm actually not sure if I fell asleep or just sort of dozed in and out of reality, I'm not even sure how long I did that, but Sesshoumaru's head was still on my breasts and when I looked down his eyes were half lidded, staring across the clearing, but not really focused. I don't think I'd been there very long I couldn't imagine Sesshoumaru sitting like that for hours and hours, plus nothing had fallen asleep yet. Sesshoumaru's hand flexed on my stomach and slid between the layers of my kimono, I stiffened because I was sure he would start touching me here and now, but he just laid his cool hand against my stomach and lightly grazed his claws against my skin, the action seemed thoughtless, like he hadn't realized he'd done it. I laid my head back and smiled, it was oddly pleasant to have him so calm and serene laying against me... it was comforting in a way I'd never known comfort before, but that didn't last long as the next second I felt his entire body go ridged and he sat up slowly, looking away from me and off from the way we'd come from. I laid there and watched him as he stared into the trees, I sat up only because I didn't know what it was and Sesshoumaru was looking like he was going to attack something.

He got to his feet and I followed suit, "Stay," he growled it at me and I watched him walk away not sure what was going on. His back was tight, but his walk didn't show the discomfort, I was surprised I recognized it at all.

"I KNOW SHE'S HERE!" That was a voice I could never forget, at first I felt frustrated because he just didn't know when to give up, than I feared for his life...

How dare that mangy creature ruin my evening with my miko. The guards didn't want to attack him and I knew why, but I wouldn't hesitate to kill him for not only trespassing but disrupting my peace, something I seldom had. His stench was already permeating my domain, did that thing ever bathe? I came around to the front of the palace where the wolf was causing all the commotion, screaming and yelling like a rabid beast at my guards who were trying fruitlessly to hold him back without harming him. He saw me and instantly his anger erupted.

"Where the hell is she at? Give me Kagome!" Kouga barked as he struggled to break out of the dome of guards that had erected themselves around him.

"I do believe you are trespassing. Leave now." He didn't need to know anything about my little miko, no need to reassure him that she's here.

"I know Kagome is here, give her to me." He managed to give one of the guards a bloody nose and I could see the anger in several of the other guards faces, they were all frustrated, and so was I.

"Kouga if you strike another one of my men I will be forced to defend myself and some how I don't think you father would enjoy going to war against the western lands all for a human." Kouga shut up and just glared at me as the men formed around him, grabbing him by the arms. "Leave."

Suddenly he thrashed again but he didn't strike anyone, he didn't have to the guards were so unprepared that he broke right out of their hold, "Give me my woman!" He charged me, was this wolf serious? He kept coming at me... apparently.

He reached out to strike me and I grabbed the offending wrists, twisting him around and stepping to the side so I could pull the wrist behind his back and pin him. "I do believe the miko is still pure, but as she is within _my lands_, born within _my territory_, I do believe that makes her _mine_." I spoke over his shoulder, the comment seemed to infuriate him more, I really didn't want to start a war with Lord Hilton, Kouga's father, but he was making that very difficult.

I looked up because I could smell her coming, damn her for not listening. She was running, and she was almost here, my fault for not paying attention. It was only moments before she made the corner around the castle and stood before us. "Lord Sesshoumaru, please don't hurt him!" I watched her and she sincerely seemed worried, did she care for the wolf? I could have sworn she had affections for my half brother.

"Kagome!" The wolf screamed and it was too close to my ears for comfort.

I twisted his arm until he yelped in pain, "Silence, wolf." He growled at me and thrashed so I twisted his arm further, if he kept struggling I was going to end up breaking his arm.

"Kouga stop!" Kagome yelled it and Kouga stopped, "You shouldn't be here." She spoke softer this time, she didn't have to speak loudly, everyone could hear her.

"Neither should you, come with me."

"I'm fine Kouga, Sesshoumaru rescued me, I'm just waiting for Inuyasha to show up," I was stunned that she'd managed to string that sentence without lying, not the full truth but no lies; Kouga would have smelled a lie. Kouga seemed to be relaxed by the comment so I let him go but stood within range to grab him if need be.

"Kagome come with me, forget Inuyasha, I'll take care of you," ahh, Kouga was smitten with Kagome, but than what were her affections for him? Did she love him as well? I didn't want to think so.

"I can't Kouga, I have a promise to uphold to Inuyasha, I must complete the jewel," She was very stable and sure of herself.

"Kagome, I can help you complete the jewel," she was shaking her head before he finished.

"I'm sorry, my duties are for Inuyasha first."

"Damn that mutt," I wondered if I should hit him for that, Inuyasha was still related and only I was allowed to degrade him, anyone else doing so was also insulting me...

"Come inside, Kouga," She was trying to calm him with her voice but her eyes were on me, she was pleading me to go along with it... I should kick the wolf out and send him home, but I couldn't resist those eyes, so I nodded and started inside, they followed in suit. I took them to a small room designed specifically for tea because I didn't want the wolf roaming my home and was hoping I could get him out of here soon.

I let them into a room because a servant wasn't around to open the door for us, Kagome and Kouga walked in ahead of me, Kouga was clinging to Kagome, my first reaction was to attack the wolf and shred his hand for touching her, but as they walked by me I could smell Kagome's discomfort. I wasn't sure how to go about pulling Kouga off of her subtly... got it, "Kouga, wait here, a servant will be in shortly with tea. Kagome, come with me." I saw Kagome's relief when Kouga let her go, reluctantly, but he did, I turned and I could hear Kagome's soft foot steps as she followed me out.

I walked down the hall until I knew Kouga would neither hear nor smell us, than I turned on her and pinned her to the wall, holding her hands on either side of her head. I breathed in the thick smell of her arousal as I slid my knee between her legs, releasing her scent to the air, I shuttered and leaned down by her neck to smell her natural scent weaved into the arousal. I licked her neck and she trembled, I bit her and she whimpered. I grinded my knee into her sex and I she bit her lip and choked on a moan, "Oh no, Sesshoumaru, please, not with Kouga here..." She begged. She was right, I shouldn't do this with Kouga here and I admit I just wanted to rub it in his face that she was mine, but that would be completely inappropriate. I'd settle for a kiss.

"A kiss for mercy?" I left the offer in the air and she blushed, I'd seen her skin red before from the throws of passion, I'd seen her blush from embarrassment before, but this was a bit different, it was much more attractive. She bit her lip and kneaded the tender bit of flesh, I wanted to take her mouth and knead her lip with my own teeth, but I wanted her to kiss me more, so I waited. She was nervous as she leaned into me; I made her stretch up onto her toes before I closed the gap and our lips touched. I let her lead the kiss because I wanted her to show me how much she wanted it... it didn't take much. I responded to her to encourage her to continue but I didn't press her to. She slid her tongue into my mouth and grinded her tongue against mine, she tasted my mouth, touching my fangs tentatively. She'd wrapped her arms around my neck and I put mine around her waist while she explored my mouth. She was moaning into my mouth, god I loved when she did that. I grabbed her waist and lifted her up; she spread her legs and wrapped them around my waist when I pushed her back against the wall. I held her up and she put her hands on either side of my face. She bit my lip and traced her tongue across it before sliding into my mouth, she coaxed my tongue into her mouth and she sucked on it, I couldn't help it, I groaned and grinded my hips into hers.

"WHAT THE FUCK!" I jerked away from her but kept her against the wall, looking over at Kouga as he stood in the hall, his eyes angry. I couldn't believe I hadn't noticed him. I could smell Kagome's worry and looked to her: she looked like a deer caught in head lights. I let Kagome down and stepped in front of her, she happily hid behind me, I could hear her breathing stuttering, I didn't know if it was from the kiss or because of Kouga though. "Kagome, what the hell is this? Did he... force you?" 'Did he rape you?' is what he meant but by avoiding the word 'rape' made it more impossible, easier to swallow. Though it was surprising he didn't instantly assume Kagome was a slut, but that I was a monster. True he had insulted me, but in a way he'd praised my little miko. Even more interesting though, was that he couldn't smell, perhaps he was to angry to think clearly.

Kagome's hands clutched the back of my kimono, I could feel her face against my back, I wanted to turn around and hold her, but I wouldn't turn my back to Kouga. Slowly she shifted around me to see Kouga, I hadn't thought she would, I figured she'd wait until I sent him away.

"No... Kouga... please leave..." Her voice was quiet and weak. She hid back behind me.

"Kagome I need to take you out of here, come wit-"

"No, that's enough, Kouga you are no longer welcome here. Leave now or I will personally escort you out." I was tired of this wolf interrupting everything.

"Kagome... do you want me to go?" He sounded hurt, like he already knew the answer, but I wasn't sure.

It was silent for a good while, Kagome never moved from behind me, "Yes..." she whispered it, but I know he'd heard it by the look on his face. For a moment I thought the mangy creature would cry but he just turned his back and headed out. I waited until he had turned down another hall before I turned around to Kagome, and only when I looked to her face did I see the thin trails of tears on her face... well... what now?

I picked her up bridal and carried her back to my quarters and laid her down on the bed. I curled up beside her and she curled into me, I was surprised to say the least, but grateful for the turn of events. She buried her face into my chest and sobbed softly, I put my arm over her and let her cry, "What are these for...?" I meant her tears.

"Because... Kouga..." She choked on her sobs, "He... loves me..." I stiffened, but she didn't seem to notice and continued on, "but I don't love him... I never wanted to hurt him though..." She didn't love Kouga... but did she love Inuyasha... I had to know.

I touched her chin and nudged her face up, pressing my forehead to hers. Her eyes were glazed and I didn't think she could focus on me but she stared into my eyes nonetheless. "Where is your heart, Kagome?"

She smiled slightly, staring at me as the tears trailed down her face, "I... I don't know..." she whispered. I touched her cheek and brushed away her tears.

He didn't touch me, just let me cry, I felt safe with him, I needed that, but I also just wanted to not think. I... I wanted... heheh, I wanted him to touch me... because when he does... I stop thinking... I just feel. I hid my face in his kimono and pulled on the fabric until his bare skin was against my cheek, he didn't react so I kissed his chest, than he looked down, I nipped at him and he took a deep shaky breath.

"Kagome..." he whispered my name and I turned my head upward and kissed him before he could say more. I put my hands on the exposed bit of skin and slid his kimono further down his shoulders. He pulled it off his arms and engulfed me with his embrace, leaning over me, but not laying on top of me. Our kiss was tender, it seemed out of place on such a powerful individual, but I needed it. He seemed to register exactly what I'd wanted, from the moment Kouga had caught us, he hid me, protected me. He never forced his tongue in my mouth, he never bit my lip, just moved his lips over mine. His hands never roamed my flesh, only held him over me while he comforted me with his mouth. I however, was not so chaste, I had to touch him, I ran my hands over his chest, sliding my fingers over his nipples, over his tight abdomen than around his waist, I could feel all the muscles in him, working and shifting beautifully as he held himself just barely off of me.

I kissed down from his mouth, over his jaw and down the line of his neck, sucking on his pulse, he groaned and the muscles in his back tightened to hold himself over me. He crawled over me so it was easier to hold himself up, shifting up so I could kiss his throat without having to duck my head down. His hands were on either side of my head and I could feel the pillow behind me being clawed and crushed under his grasp. I raked my nails down his back and he arched into me, growling, I bit his pulse and his head dropped, he was panting. "Kagome..." he sounded so husky, so full of passion, I loved the way my name slithered from his lips.

I nudged his shoulder and he took the hint and rolled onto his back, I crawled on top of him, straddling his waist. He stared up at me, his eyes were glazed over as he watched me. I touched his chest and ran my hands down over his abs and circled his belly button with my index finger. He was built perfectly, he wasn't so giant like a body builder, but he was ripped, outlined with muscles all over, when he moved I could see them shifting under his skin. I untied my kimono and opened it, than leaned over him and pressed my bare breasts to his chest, I moaned and his hands clutched at the small of my back. I went to his collar and kissed up to his ear, biting the lobe he shivered under me and I rubbed myself against him, grinding my hips into his while I moved my entire torso so my breasts rubbed against his chest. He grabbed me hips and grinded himself against me, I whimpered and pushed back, I could feel him through his hakama, grinding my sex. He grabbed my ass and smacked it, I gasped. I pulled up the back of my short kimono to expose my bottom, "spank me..." I was so past being embarrassed right now... he growled.

He moved to fast for me to keep up, I just know that he pushed me up and than he had me over his lap. I had to say I preferred this position too, I liked being bent over his knee with my ass up. I grabbed his thigh and he had to pull my kimono back up as it had fallen back over my bottom. He hit me hard and it stung but I whimpered my delight, "Again," I whispered and he struck me again, and again. He stopped briefly only to slid his hand between my legs, I spread my legs and let him touch me. The position gave him perfect access to me, his fingers slid against my already wet slit, seeking my clit and circling it. I wiggled and clenched my thighs to keep me from closing my legs. "Tease me..." I begged him, and his finger slid inside of me, he rubbed me from the inside and I clutched his thigh, moaning against his leg. He pulled his finger out and away from my slit only to smack my ass again, I arched against his leg and his other hand slid under me and grabbed my breast. I held myself up so he could squeeze the mound and still spank me.

My bottom stung, but it was a sweet pain, He would rub on my clit every three or four smacks, tease me and make me want it even more. "Please, Sesshoumaru... make me beg for release..." He pulled me up to him so my back was to his chest. He pulled my legs up and I held them up so he could slid his hands under my thighs and touch my exposed slit, I moaned while he lightly touched me, he knew just the right positions to have me the most exposed for him. He ran the pad of his finger up and down my entrance, I whimpered while he just barely entered me than pulled out and teased my clit. He used his middle fingers to spread my lips and one of his index fingers to lightly touch my clit, it was torture. I leaned my head back and cried out, he tilted his head into my exposed neck and bit me; he started sucking on my pulse while he teased my clit. My nails were digging into my thigh deep enough that I thought I might draw blood but I didn't care about anything but the torture he gave me.

Suddenly he delved two fingers into me and I pulled my legs far apart, "Yes... please, oh please... more... more Master, more..." He growled his delight against my neck and started pumping into me. He worked me, his thumb rubbing against my slit, I held my lips open for him now. His fingers moved in and out of me, than he circle his fingers and spread them apart once inside of me, only to return to pumping me. "Sess... shou... maru... oh... yess... make me...cum... finish me..." I whined and he forced a third finger into me, it was tight but I liked it, I moaned and whimper and he worked me harder, he was rough and I loved it. He rubbed my clit, circled it and I came onto his hand. I cried out and tried to buck against him but the position didn't allow for much movement.

He held me while I panted, laying on his back with me on top of him, he let go of my thighs and I let them down. I rolled over and laid my head against his chest, I took a few minutes to breathe than pulled myself up and started to move down him but he caught my arm and pulled me back up. "Just lay with me, Kagome."

I looked up at him, "But you haven't..."

"Shhh..." He didn't say any more, just ran his hand in my hair and closed his eyes. I closed my eyes as well, I was always tired after such... activities...


	9. Chapter 9

I nuzzled the soft fur of the huge pillows, oh they were wonderful. I groaned and stretched in the huge bed, stretching as far as I could I still couldn't reach the edges of the bed. "Kagome…" The soft voice stole me from my stupor and I jerked up, instantly regretting it as dizziness took over. Still I could focus enough to tell it was Naomi staring at me, something was different about her, she was… dressed, fully dressed, not one of those flimsy robes, but a full dress and an apron.

"Naomi, you seem different, what has you so… happy?" I had to ask.

Naomi's face lit up and the smile she offered me must have come directly from the angels, such beauty and happiness in one girl's face, from a dress? It wasn't even a pretty dress, it was brown, the apron was a rough looking green, but she seemed cheerful all the less. "Lord Sesshoumaru has offered me a position as a servant here in the palace. Kagome I get to work here, I get free room and three meals a day! I didn't have this much when I lived with my parents, we were lucky to have a few slices of bread a day! Oh Kagome, do you think I'll grow fat?"

I laughed and jumped up, still naked and hugged the girl tightly, besides she'd suggested her tiny petite form could possibly gain any weight, she wasn't a slave! "Oh I'm so happy for you!" I kissed her cheek and she kissed mine, I quickly noticed she carried something, held loosely in one of the hands wrapped around my back in our sisterly embrace. As she noticed that I'd become curious of the object she brought it around and handed it to me. Unfolding it I found it was a silk kimono, it was a plain pale blue, but the sheer material of it made it gorgeous, such fine fabric, something that must have taken a great deal to make without tearing or snagging the fabric in the process.

"Is this for me?" I whispered fearing the answer.

Naomi nodded and ushered me into the bathroom, "Come, I'll not let you wear such fabrics unless your skin is pure and freshly cleaned!" She scolded me and I laughed out loud.

In another twenty minutes I was dressed in the fine material, suddenly not so giddy about the new wardrobe. The fabric was sheer and thus see-through, underneath it Naomi had me put on a pair of white panties, the sides were done with gold chains, my chest was covered by two small triangles just enough to cover the nipples held together by more gold chains, one around my neck, one went behind my back and one between my breasts. The sheer robe covered the entire ensemble, a gold chain around my waist used as a belt. It hid nothing. Sure the fabric and material it was all done with was gorgeous, I was sure the gold chains were solid and real, but really I looked like an over glorified slut, a…. concubine.

My face drained of color and Naomi stopped, she'd been brushing my hair, as she looked at me through the mirror with worry. "Why do you think Sesshoumaru would give me such an outfit, yes it's of very fine material but it's… sleezy…." I wondered if she even knew the word, her reaction said she did as she nodded, understanding the horror on my face.

"You should be happy Kagome, Lord Sesshoumaru adores you, he offers you gold and in return all you have to do is be his… toy, from what I've seen it's not like he abuses you…." Naomi spoke as she continued to brush my hair. Of course, she wouldn't understand, she'd been a slave much longer than I to a much crueler man, but I had a home and duty to uphold, and morals for that much!

… Morals, hah! As if I have any right to speak of morals at this point. I've practically begged Sesshoumaru to have sex with me, I've been wanton and whorish in the most kindest of words, what could I have expected to happen?

I rubbed my arms through the sheer fabric, this wasn't my fault, I tried to convince myself, he'd given me no choice, I'd only tried to make the best out of it. So what now? What now when he seemed to be leading things into the permanent direction? I had to return to InuYasha, but would he even look my way when he finds out what I've done with Sesshoumaru? His hated half brother.

The door opened and I spun around so fast I heard and felt the brush from Naomi's hand jerk through my hair and be flung across the room with a 'thunk' against the wall. There stood Sesshoumaru in all his glory, his haori perfectly set across his gorgeous body, a body I'd come to know well in that last few days.

I looked to Naomi, then I looked to Sesshoumaru again, we needed to talk, not that we'd ever had a legitimate conversation before, but now was a good time to start. "Sesshoumaru, I mean… Lord Sesshoumaru," I wouldn't use 'Master' that would be too 'in character' to what he was trying to make me into, "Do you suppose we could have a few moments alone to talk?"

Sesshoumaru nodded and merely glared at Naomi, true to her role as a new servant she nodded, bowed and skittered out of the room, how funny she was so happy to take on her new role. Quickly I drew my attention back to the demon before me who stared at me with curious eyes, albeit a bit demanding. I swallowed the nervousness, when had I stopped fearing him? He was intimidating and he made me nervous and embarrassed, but never afraid.

How was I supposed to go about this, it's not like he'd just let me go, would he? Nothing ventured, nothing gained. "I need to return to InYasha and finish collecting the pieces to the jewel," Sesshoumaru's face darkened and I knew those weren't the magic words.

"No, now come, we've things to attend too before tonight's activities." Tonight's activities? What could that possibly mean, and why would he need me to attend to things? Dressing like this even?

Still I couldn't stop, "Please, Lord Sesshoumaru, hear me out. There's no telling what Naraku will do to the world if he obtains the jewel." I could be wrong but I think Sesshoumaru scoffed at that.

"It is neither your problem, nor mine, the fact that the cursed jewel even exists is… someone else's problem who needs to bear the burden." He growled viciously and somehow I got the feeling he knew something about the jewel he wasn't telling, and now I couldn't leave, and I had to know what he knew.

Obediently I stood up and went to him, he took my arm like a Lord would take his lady's arm, no collar, no leash to make me look like a slave, just the clothes that make me feel like a concubine. Though I had to admit the fabric felt amazing against my skin. He guided me into the banquet hall where I'd met Naomi, it carried horrible memories but as I looked to the walls I realized it looked different, the cuffs were gone from the walls, in fact it looks like the stone had been broken and replaced with a fresh block, one without the cuffs. I blinked several times, not certain what my brain had already registered. Sesshoumaru jerked me and as I drew my attention to his I notice a lightness to his cheeks, his eyes cast at an odd angle, I couldn't describe the look he gave me, until it hit me, he had cared, it had bothered me that other men had touched me, that's why he hadn't reacted out in violent anger after I'd freed myself and Naomi. The look he gave me was of embarrassment, shame even. I couldn't help but smile at him and he quickly looked away.

He sat me at a seat by him, that seems just as luscious as his own throne chair, though quite a bit smaller than his. It was an odd position to be at since he sat at the head of the table, he sat me at the corner by him, guess I didn't merit my own spot at the table. Were we expecting guests? It suddenly occurred to me how much time we spent in silence, and yet it didn't feel awkward, perhaps it was Sesshoumaru's intimidating aura and attitude that made silence seem more appropriate than mindless chatter.

Naomi came in with several other servants, each carrying several trays of various kinds of food. What Kagome had given me had been a gift, willingly offering herself to me, freely giving her body and her affections without a fight and I intended to reward her for such actions in hopes of encouraging such an attitude. Of course, her request to return to InuYasha had put a foul mood over the evening, but I would try to veer her away, perhaps introducing her to the bitch who caused the problem will make her realize how futile her attempts are at restoring and protecting the forsaken jewel.

For now, I wanted her to melt to me. When the servants left I picked Kagome off the chair and sat her on my lap, her eyes were hungry as she fixed her gaze on the food, I hid the knowing smile from her, just watching as her fingers twitched to attack the food. Oh, she would be my willingly toy yet. I picked a meat she'd seemed to focus on the longest, quail. Slowly I picked at the food and offered her a small bite. Kagome bit her lip, nervous at the strange methods, but suddenly ravaged at the sight and delicious smells from all the food, she couldn't say no.

I fed her and ushered her to feed me as well, perhaps sharing this with her would make her feel less awkward and make her realize it was more appropriate, even though having her feed me felt awkward in itself. That would not distract me though, tonight would be about us, tonight, I would dominate her in a way that would sweep the Priestess off her feet.

We finished, though there was still mountains of food, I'd wanted to make sure she could have anything she wanted and I'm certain she was more than satisfied with the offering. Kagome leaned against me a hand on her belly that seemed to be protruding out more than normal. As I stared at her hand, for the first time I took in her body and the clothes I'd had made just for her, never had I given my virgins such offerings, in fact most the time they received no clothes at all, that I'd given her and Naomi those small robes to wear that one night had been strange, that I now offered her such riches in her clothes seemed utterly absurd and yet I couldn't bring myself to believe it was a mistake.

"Do you like the clothes?" Kagome's eyes looked up at me lazily than back down at her body, her clothes; she tentatively touched the sheer robes sliding it easily between her fingers.

She bit her lip, I wanted her honesty, but at the same time I found myself nervous she'd reject them. "They're beautiful, and I much prefer having something to nothing…." I waited for her to continue but that was it, she wasn't going to say anything else and I knew why.

I curled her hair about my finger, watching as the ends sprung up into soft cork screws and I knew what I'd have to give her to make this evening successful. I almost sighed, but regardless of my outward reaction I gave in, "This is just when we're alone, would you like to see what I've had prepared for you for tomorrow evening?"

Kagome's eyes looked up at me with such hope, I couldn't deny her, but at the same time there were other things to attend to on this eve. I shook my head, "Later, for now, we will visit the gardens."

She writhed her hands and I already knew the next question, she was getting easier and easier to read, "It is late, Kagome, the servants have gone to bed or gone home, the gardens will be empty and so will the palace, no one will see you, my kitten." Her eyes turned into warm liquid oceans and I seemed to be drowning in them with no words to save me from the depths of them. How could she look at me with such kindness, and only now did I realize the similar look she'd given Naomi, the kindness, the affection, but something was… different, I couldn't tell what and it was making me nervous, something I rarely felt and wasn't enjoying the feeling of it. Quickly I stood and Kagome stumbled to catch her feet before landing on her rear.

I caught myself with the help of the table and pulled myself up, before I got a chance to fully recover Sesshoumaru took my upper arm and dragged me out. What had happened? One minute we're enjoying dinner together and the next he tries to drop me on my rear and drag me around like a rag doll? And here I thought he was finally softening to me. I don't know how or why but since Kouga his attitude seemed to have softened to me, but then he would snap, like he realized what he was doing and would tried to rebuild his wall of ice. Now, though, I had motive, now I had to know what he knew of the shikon jewel's origin.

I almost had to run but I managed to catch up to him and maintain a pace beside him. I wrapped both my hands around his bicep, feeling the muscle flex under my hand, realizing how physically strong he was, sure I knew, but like this it was so tangible, so… sexy. I blushed as I realized where my thoughts quickly went, staring at the wall, remembering when he'd caught me the night I'd tried to run away. He truly turned me into a concubine and unfortunately I seemed to be playing the role rather willingly.

I squeezed his arm and he looked down at me, "Please, don't be angry, Lord Sesshoumaru. I like wearing this for you," Whoa, where had that come from? But as the words had left my lips I knew they were true, I knew I loved having his lusty gaze on my body and I couldn't deny how sexy the garbs made me feel, hiding my body yet at the same time showing it off. I bit my lip as Sesshoumaru had stopped, his gaze was so intense.

Slowly he started walking again, but there was a tightness in his step, I didn't know what it was but I wanted it to go away, I wanted him to relax again, like he'd been when we were eating together, when we'd shared that first bath together. It seemed we had moments of magic and suddenly reality would hit us and we'd remember we were enemies again. For the sake of helping InuYasha and learning as much about the jewel as possible, I'd submit to him fully; or so I kept telling myself.

The outside air was warm and smooth. He released me and seemed to step away from me so I could no longer hold him. I watched him nervously but there was no malice in his steps as he sat on the stone bench in front of the koi pond, I stared into the water, the moon was high and it's light gleamed off the surface of the water. I couldn't help but smile, I'd missed the outside, the last time I'd been outside Kouga had ruined the solitude, the purity only nature could offer.

Nervously I took the sheer robe off and let it slide to the ground, I watched the subtle movement of Sesshoumaru's ear, he'd heard the fabric rustling, as soft as it was. He didn't look up but I could see the slightest shift in his face as if he was itching to look at me. I smiled, this was for the future, I told myself. I kneeled and slid my feet into the cool water, sitting on the edge of the pond, only then did Sesshoumaru look to me. I leaned back, bracing myself on my palm, yes I knew how it pushed my breasts up, and I knew how the moonlight gleamed off my pale skin, and so did Sesshoumaru. His eyes danced across my skin, watching the way the gold chains twisted with each slight movement I made.

At that moment, that precise moment, the look in Sesshoumaru's eyes was more than lust… it was fear. I controlled him, my body called to him, I'd always known it, always known he'd wanted me in a way he wanted no one else. What other excuse could there be that he'd told Naomi away, that he'd rather her be a servant than a slave, she was gorgeous, if not more beautiful than I. No one could deny the beauty of her vibrant hair and her stunning eyes, she had a petite body yes and maybe I had a bit more in the chest than her, but she wasn't lacking either.

I tried not to look away from his eyes but something seemed off, something kept moving in the corner of my vision and finally I looked to it, staring at his shaking hands, the longer I stared the more I seemed to be affected by him. My lip trembled and I had to keep curling my toes to keep them from shaking and creating more ripples in the water.

I watched nervously as he stood from the bench, slowly I watched his elegant fingers lose all their grace, struggling to untie his haori and pull the fabric from his skin. Vaguely I realized he seemed to be shining, but as he stepped closer I could see there was a thin layer of swear covering his bare chest, a single drop formed before my eyes at his temple and roll down the side of his face. I think the moon and the warm night air was making us both delirious, for I found my own body hot and I could feel the sweat forming at my own temple, the wetness between my breasts. I swallowed hard.

Sesshoumaru dropped to his knees all his grace and elegant glory gone in that crumpling movement that seemed more like collapsing than sitting. He crawled the small distance to me and I sat up straight to receive him. One arm crossed over my lap and we were face to face, mere inches, I pushed forward and took his mouth. I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him as close as physics would allow us. He had to use one arm to hold himself up but the other tangled itself in my hair.

This was it, how had it come to this though. I felt like a child breathing for the first time, her breath was my air, my nectar of life and here she offered it to me so willingly. Her body seemed to be as desperate as my own. Truly, I hadn't intended for things to progress like this, I'd wanted to shower her with flowers and show her my garden, tomorrow I'd planned to take her to Rin, to make her a permanent part of my palace. This sultry vixen that had opened up to me tonight was not what I'd planned on. Her eyes held the world and I was merely her pawn. I could not resist her at this moment.

I felt her take charge, brushing her tongue against mine, her teeth biting my lip. I pulled away before she could take my mind fully from me, ashamed I'd become so involved I hadn't recognized when I'd raised my hand to her breast, brushing the flimsy triangle to the side to rub the hardened nipple. I hadn't admitted to her earlier how I love that her nipples pushed so taunt against the slim fabric, hidden and yet so very exposed, the outfit I'd planned for her may have been more alluring that her stark naked, then again, no, she was amazing, her body perfect in every way.

Why did this human captivate me so much? She was just a human! I would torture her again; see if she retained her sultry affections for me, surely she would shy away back into that pitiful female. Why did it seem there were no true women? So many put on charades to entice men, acting innocent and virginal, shy even, it was no more appealing than the wild whores that promised everything with everyone or anyone. But this one, Kagome, she offered her body to me, her affection and when put before another man she recoils in disgust, but to me she mews those delicious sounds of delight, even under harsh torture her body craves for mine and…. mine for hers. When did I become so enthralled with this little woman?

Slowly I pulled back, reluctantly, I wanted to watch her, curious to see if she'd shy away or dance for me. "I want you to pleasure yourself…." I whispered in a tone as seductive as her eyes.

Kagome's face pinkened softly, nothing like the red cherry face the first night we'd been together, she had grown more comfortable with me, but still she showed her virginity on her face. I couldn't help but grin as her shaky hands moved to her body; gently her small fingers touched the breast I'd just held. I watched eagerly as her fingers pulled back the triangle of fabric exposing the taunt nipple, I could feel my arms shaking with the weight of my own body. Kagome could never know how much she pleased me with the shy obedience she offered. Kagome was true and honest to her person; she was no one but herself, something I'd forgotten in myself.

I pulled her legs from the water and leaned her back against the stone bench so I could sit between her legs and watch her body, her face. She was timid and nervous as she moved down, one hand stayed at her breast the other went between her legs. I could have chewed off my lip in anticipation as her finger nervously pulled the fabric to the side exposing herself to me and to her shaking fingers. She stroked her own lips and I couldn't hold back my growl of approval. She stopped a moment and I realized how loud the sound must have been, I raised my eyes to her to offer my approval more visually.

She seemed to accept that and slowly she spread her lips exposing her clit which she shyly stroked with her middle finger. Every action made my shoulders tighter and tighter. Her dull nails were harmless to her and mildly I wondered if I'd ever hurt her with my own. Quickly she drew my thoughts back to her actions as she delved one long sexy finger into her core and her back arched. I could almost hear the sound of her muscles as she contracted around her own finger. Kagome stroked herself from inside, I was amazed at how easy she found her own hot spots, the forbidden spot inside every woman that some men never find, if we but asked our women it would come as no surprise that each and every one could pin point the exact location. I almost wanted to laugh at the thought, but she moaned again and I couldn't think anymore. Watching her face, her fingers, the hand that squeezed her breast rougher than I ever had.

Her voice got higher and I was sure she'd orgasm for me but as I looked to her face our eyes met, those blue oceans were swirling with her lust but something was stopping her, she hadn't finished yet, I wanted so badly to ask why she would stop when so many times before I'd denied her. But she hadn't stopped, she was still thrusting her soft pale fingers into her own body, stroking her own clit and squeezing those full breasts of her's.

She was… shy, too shy to release, it was almost ironic, but at this moment I wanted to hear her scream her pleasure more than life itself. I all but pounced on her, shifting her away from the stone bench so I could lay her back, still between her creamy thighs. I pushed my middle finger against her mouth and she sucked on my finger, it was so sexy, so utterly hypnotizing to watch I'd almost forgotten what I'd wanted to do to her. I licked my own thumb and pulled my hand from her, the middle finger wet with her saliva and delved that digit into her. She arched and howled for me; at this angle I could work her body like never before. I pressed my thumb to her clit, circling it softly, spreading the lips to tease the bud directly. She was already lost in passion, ready and craving, and this time, I wouldn't deny her. I pumped her body with two fingers, I could feel her tight body trying to squeeze my fingers clean off, such strength she had, some females didn't even know how to work those muscles, but there was no doubt her actions were intentional, bringing herself more pleasure. I continued to thrust my fingers into her body, rubbing her clit all the while and her orgasm seemed to come all too soon, of course the proceeding reaction made it all worth it. Her body seemed to vibrate, arching from the ground, leaving a gap from her back to the grass, she curled her toes so tight I could see the knuckles turn even whiter in this dim light. She squeezed her one breasts so hard I feared she'd hurt herself, the other was pulling on her own hair. She seemed to writhe and moan endlessly, crying out into the dim moonlight her infinite pleasure.

We seemed to sit there forever, but I didn't mind, there was nothing boring about the way her skin glowed under the moonlight, or the slight shake that came with each exhale of her breath, or even the lazy and completely satisfied gaze to her eyes. Slowly and with shaking hands she managed to pull herself to a sitting position, her bits of clothes still out of place and exposing her parts. The truly distracting part was her eyes though, that hungry look as if she were starved and it was all for me.

She crawled over me and I let her lean me back so she straddled me, I was so hard for this little human. I still hadn't figure out why a human had this effect on me when hundreds of demoness' could not even tempt me this little enchantress seemed to completely own me with the slightest glance. Her hands were urgent as she moved them across my body, I couldn't bring myself to stop her, to dominate her and show her who the master was, I just wanted her touch. I leaned my head back and stretched my arms out wide, the night air was amazing on my skin, but her fingers danced like bits of ice, leaving a trail where ever they traveled.

I was hungry for him, it seemed like an entire life time had passed since he'd abducted me only four days prior to this eve. He'd taught me a whole new world of pleasure, whenever sex was spoken of in school it was hushed and giggled at, we'd only ever known missionary, but this demon had taught me a world of kinks and I couldn't say I hadn't enjoyed it. Even looking back on him walking me through his palace naked I only seemed to be able to focus on the pleasure, how aroused I'd been by such humiliation.

I bit his nipple roughly and I heard him groan, good, I hoped it hurt, as I looked back on the eve in the dining hall where he had me tickled until I.… I didn't want to think of it. That I hadn't enjoyed, though, I wouldn't mind him tickling me more, there's something about the light teasing, the intensity when he finds a particularly sensitive spot and doesn't stop, just not to that degree. On some level I was grateful for having experienced it, I hated him for the humiliation but as we lay here in his gardens I almost hoped some servant would come skittering by. I grinned, I couldn't hate him for the world he'd opened me up too, even if he'd meant to break me with it, I'd show him who was the master.

I kissed his stomach, those hard abs, I tried to bit them, but the skin was so tight so I settled for nipping at the skin around his belly button. I tugged at the hem of his pants and he let me pull them off him so he was naked. For once, I wasn't the one stark naked, as if I could feel it I fixed my tiny bit of clothing so it covered me again and he grinned at me as if he could read my mind and the deliciously dominating thoughts that ran through it. I wanted to be the master this time, we'd come this far, would he give me this?

I exposed his manhood, watching it eagerly, but as I rose my hands nervousness struck me and my virginity seemed to lay on me like a lead brick. This was no boy; this was a man who'd controlled my body more than once. I wanted him, as forbidden as it was, I wanted him. I forced myself to go through the cloud of nervousness and wrap my tiny hands around him, watching as his body stiffened. Oh, yes my demon lord, I would rule your body as you've done to mine so many times before. Maybe it was the afterglow of my orgasm, or maybe it was something else I wouldn't dare tread on but I didn't hesitate when I wrapped my mouth around his tip.

His breath came heavy and loud, sucking in as much air as he could. I touched my teeth to him, threatening him, wondering if he'd stop me if I stepped out of bounds. He didn't move, so I pushed a little harder and heard him growl. I grinned and stopped teasing him with my teeth in place of sucking on his tip roughly, licking the bits of precum that would drop to my tongue. I sucked hard and pushed my breasts into his thighs. I wanted him to cum for me like I had for him. Tonight was like no other night, tonight we were not enemies, tonight we would be forbidden lovers.

I forced myself to stop thinking about what was right and wrong, we were so far passed that. I pushed myself down on him, taking more than I should have, nearly gagging but remembering what he'd told me those first nights, swallowing as I did to take him deep into my mouth. It was awkward to actually suck like this but I could still lash him with my tongue. I started moving, raising up and down his member, loving the drops of precum he'd offer me as if I was actually doing a good job. I squeezed his balls roughly and felt his thighs flex beneath me. I was straddling his thighs, holding him captive, I wish I could have bound his hands and been the true Mistress of his body, but instead he was grinding his nails into the stone bench, I knew his claws were digging chunks out of it and the thought seemed to make me more and more greedy.

I'd suckle his tip and then take him deep into my throat before quickly pulling back, it took me a bit, I admit, but I eventually picked up the pattern and worked him fast and hard. He was in bliss, I could hear the consistent growling, the groans he offered me. I squeezed him in my mouth and felt him cum, the muscles in his body working to move the fluids. Should I pull off? But I was a curious kitten and let him cum into my mouth, nervously, but I had no time to think anymore as it came quickly and I had to swallow least I make a fool of myself.

I pulled away as soon as I could, panting, I should have taken a deeper breath before I finished him into my mouth. The taste was… strange, not nearly as strange as another woman's, but strange nonetheless. I wiped my mouth, I wasn't sure if it was saliva or cum, but regardless the wetness made me feel silly. His eyes suggested things much naughtier than silly. He grabbed a fist full of my hair and yanked me to him, I yelped suddenly very aware that he was the master between the two of us. He kissed me hard and bruising, strange, I hadn't thought he would after swallowing his cum.

His muscles were tight under my hands, his body was wet with sweat but he managed to lift me from the ground, carrying both of us. "But Sess your…." I didn't get to finish as he looked down at me most oddly, then I realized I'd called him 'Sess.' His clothes were forgotten in my embarrassment and he carried us back to his room, himself naked and I couldn't help but think through a different haze, how often had his servants seen him naked? What had they actually thought of me naked?


	10. Chapter 10

The morning came hotter than the night before, it seeped into the window and tried to bake me. With a groan I rolled away from the light, slowly reality dawned on me. I blinked back the sleep and stared at the stone wall, Sesshoumaru's castle. That's right, I was his slave, but last night, was I still his slave? What were we to each other? Last night, and actually after Kouga… those events had been so different from anything before, would it continue like this, and why? Why wouldn't he have actual sex with me for that much, was it cause I was human, perhaps he was trying to protect my virtue? I laughed, after all we've done there's no virtue left to save.

I sat up and rubbed my eyes, across the room there's was the sway of red, I focused to see Naomi straightening the room, cleaning up the discarded clothes. I smiled, perhaps I should view things like Naomi does, no one seeks to kill me like this, and Sesshoumaru is not a cruel lover, he offers me only pleasure, though sometimes a bit prolonged. Though even as I thought such things I could see InuYasha's face, this would be the fifth morning I'd spent in Sesshoumaru's castle, had he forgotten me? Was Kikyou with him now? Was she his new shard detector? As much as I hated the label I didn't want Kikyou to take it from me either.

"Oh, you're awake!" Naomi just now noticed me. I gave her the brightest smile I could, it wasn't so hard anymore, to be happy, in fact, it seemed to just come to me. Where had all my hatred for this place, for Sesshoumaru gone?

"Here," She all but threw a kimono at me; it was white with violet sakura blossoms drifting around the bottom of it and over one shoulder. "Get dressed, Lord Sesshoumaru wants you downstairs to meet guests." Since when was I a part of his personal life?

I didn't question her, she probably had orders to get me down there and I didn't want Sesshoumaru to punish her for not doing as she was told. I was dressed and Naomi was hollering at me to stop so she could brush my hair, but I just had to know who the guests were. This was the first time Sesshoumaru had graced me with real clothing, nothing skimpy or revealing, I was covered like a proper lady.

Naomi showed me downstairs, how she'd learned the place so quickly in only a day was beyond me but she never took a wrong turn and before long we stood in front of a closed door, a very grand door, not like the little paper doors used around the palace, this looked like a formal entrance for very important guests. Naomi stood on her tip toes and barely reached the dragon head knocker, but she managed and banged it three times, it was literally the next moment that the doors were swung open exposing a small foyer.

I was struck dumb, before the open doors stood InuYasha, Sango, Miroku, Shippo and even Kirara was perched on Sango's shoulder. Kirara seemed to be the only one at ease. InuYasha was screamed at the top of his lung, his sword drawn. Sango had her hand back to pull around that massive weapon of her's. Miroku's eyes could kill, one hand braced over the other, even Shippo seemed to be growling nonsense. None of them noticed me, but I noticed them and I noticed Sesshoumaru too, standing silently away from them, all their anger directed at him. I wanted to run to him, to protect him from them, but what kind of message would that tell? Why would I protect him anyway? He was my enemy… wasn't he?

I couldn't bring myself to think Sesshoumaru was my enemy, in fact as I stared at the group of people who were my friends, practically my family, it wasn't them that I feared for. I took a step into the room and I could see Rin clutching Sesshoumaru's pant leg. How strange that he would bring the child in here, I hadn't seen her for the whole four and a half days I'd been here. The only time I ever saw the child around was when Sesshoumaru had no intentions of fighting. I could have hugged him with that realization, kissed him if InuYasha wasn't staring daggers at him. Oh what would they think when they find out what went on here? Would they find out? Could InuYasha smell something like that? I blushed and bowed my head, slowly stepping into the room.

I counted, it was five steps before Sango's voice broke the tension "Kagome!" I'd barely raised my head when the woman was clutching me in her grasp, squeezing me for all her might. I hugged her back but I'm not sure the smile met my eyes.

"I'm alright, please, you're crushing me!" I groaned and Sango slowly released me. Miroku was next; it was one thing for Sango's hug to linger, but Miroku's… I wondered what Sesshoumaru's eyes were, but I didn't get a chance as Sango struck the lecherous monk. I chuckled and then my eyes met InuYasha's, I didn't know what the emotion in his eyes were, fear maybe? Affection even? Could it be? Love?

I looked away, too Sesshoumaru for answers I didn't have. Why would he look at me like this now? Of all times, why now! Why when I was no longer certain. InuYasha grabbed my forearms and I had to look back, could he see the fear that was eating away at me, the worry of what I knew and now realized? Would he react like Kouga and silently back away, leaving in his misery? Or would he do as I feared and violently attack anyone who he believed related to the situation. Oh, he would, and I knew he would, he was such a child, throwing tantrums when he didn't get away, but his brother was such a man, taking what he wanted and fighting for it if need be, though I suppose I'd never seen how he'd handle loss. How could I so cruelly compare the two when the younger looked at me with such affection?

The moment seemed to linger and then his hands moved behind my back, touching my shoulder blades. I couldn't relax, how long had I wanted this? His touch? His love? And now as he stood before me with all the love in his eyes I couldn't return it. What had happened in these few days that Sesshoumaru had completely confused me? He pulled me too him and I was grateful he didn't seek a kiss, Sesshoumaru would have, he wouldn't have chickened out at the audience, the thought almost made me giggle.

Just as it came it ended and InuYasha shoved me away with a snarl, "You stink of him," He didn't have to say who, he didn't even have to make the slight head gesture to his brother's direction. So he could smell it, would he leave me here? What would Sesshoumaru do with me if he did? I stood my ground though I felt weak and my knees were knocking.

"And what exactly did you expect, halfbreed?" All eyes moved to Sesshoumaru, his voice was cold and smooth, it wasn't the same voice that he'd used with just me. There were far too many sides to Sesshoumaru and I was ashamed it took this much to see that. "She's spent nearly five days in my castle, with my servants, bathing in my water, dining in my dining hall. Did you suppose she'd smell like you? Or perhaps the wild? I suppose the two are quite similar. You shouldn't be so sour InuYasha, isn't it pleasant to have a human who actually believes in cleanliness versus sulking in their own stench?" I couldn't believe my ears, he was defending me, and not telling what we'd done these past days, why though?

The look on her face made those daring words so worth it. The halfbreed wasn't a complete moron, he had smelt my scent on her, but perhaps he was still foolish enough to believe that delicious smell of sex wasn't from me, she did after all still have her virginity in tacked.

He did, his face contorting from raw anger to mild annoyance. I could have laughed at him, what a foolish pup, one day he'd figured out all I'd done to his precious priestess. No…. My priestess.

Still as entertaining as torturing the half breed was, there was something I wanted to do, though I'd intended to only take Kagome, perhaps the reminder of what's out there will keep InuYasha from committing suicide on a foolish battle. I had to usher Rin to go, Naomi took the child. Perhaps Naomi hadn't been such a loss after all; she'd taken to her servitude so well, willingly and obediently completing the most meager task to perfection.

I headed out, I'd already prepared everything before Kagome had awakened, and now they all stood around, I could feel their eyes on my back as I intentionally made a trail straight through the middle of the happy group, they parted for me like obedient subjects. I grinned as I reached the entrance and I could hear Kagome's soft footsteps pittering across the hard floor, running to catch up to me she caught my sleeve. InuYasha's reaction was priceless, the sharp intake of breath, the sudden spike in his aura and the alter in his smell from calm to raging angry. He was truly a child, with absolutely no control over his own emotions.

I turned to Kagome and her blue eyes stared at me with such passion I feared my façade would melt to nothing right there. What had this woman done to me?

"Lord Sesshoumaru… thank you…." Her eyes twisted into mischief, her lips slanted and I knew I'd corrupted her as much as she had me, "for everything," She whispered in that sultry voice, just for me. Did she realize the kind of reaction she'd get if her friends found out what I'd done to her. I stared at her hard, and I knew she knew, and she liked it, the danger of it excited her, I could smell it, being so close to her was intoxicating. I do hope InuYasha couldn't smell it, doubtful, but still an annoying thought if he could.

"Come…" Was all I gave them before I turned and left, as much as I wanted to pounce the priestess and dominate her body all over again, now was not the time.

They took a moment but as humans are, curiosity eventually won out and they followed me out of the palace. I was surprised when they'd lasted an hour without asking me where, even more so when another hour passed, but at the third hour I heard InuYasha groan and I knew it was coming. 

"Oi, where the fuck we goin!" He hollered, did he have any idea how annoying his voice was? And why did he have to be so loud!

Still, I glanced back at him, glaring him into silence, "If you're too weak to keep up, you needn't follow, but let me assure you, you'll want to see this…." He shut up and so did his friends, the restlessness in the air seemed to fade and for that I was grateful.

Two more hours passed and Kagome came to me, that soft way that she did, the girl could make a wonderful assassin, with a little bit of training she could be perfect, never making a sound, it would be interesting to teach her. I looked down at her and her eyes had not changed, still soft, full of that honest affection, I couldn't figure out how she survived with her emotions on display, but the thought of hurting her made my bowls coil. I longed to touch her again but I managed to get away with barely grazing my hand against her's, I wonder if she even noticed the action, it seemed so nonchalant.

"Will it be much longer, Lord Sesshoumaru?" For some reason I didn't like her calling me that, I wanted her to purr my name to call me by that nickname she'd given me, but I'd never admit it and I hated that I wouldn't. Kagome was honest, pure, to everything in her life she was direct never hiding, and in my own way I seemed to be hiding. I wanted certain things but I wouldn't dare, why? Because I feared being weak? Would it make me weak to crave this little human girl?

I shook my head softly in answer to her question, just as I lead us into the shroud of the forest. The demon slayer's aura picked up her smell altered with the wave of nervousness, she suddenly knew where we were going, good, it meant she was a good slayer. Perhaps she would be interested in the reconstruction of the slayer's tribe.

The slayer may have known the danger I walked them into but she didn't speak, whether out of fear or stupidity I didn't know, but just as well either way. I could feel the demons lurking around us, but these demons were like nothing this band of misfits had ever seen and I could guarantee that. These demons believed themselves better than everyone, perhaps they were, so much so that when they were challenged they rarely killed their targets, they hoped they'd return stronger and better to seek revenge and give them a better challenged. These demons loved fighting and they loved to compete, their entire lives were based around bettering themselves. No, not like Naraku, few of them craved actual material power; they wanted to be physically the best. There was a theory that that was the nature of the original demons, that they craved not land or gold, but raw power.

I could smell her, a distance in front of us, showing off as usual, being that forsaken bitch I knew her to be. What a wretched creature. The trees themselves seemed to part for this demoness' power. Everyone could feel it, the raw blackness that radiated from the monster before them, but none of them dared speak, good, though they might be a bit surprised by the response they get from this bitch.

Before them lay a most curious demoness, that of which nightmares are told, her eyes were the color of blood and they reflected such violence. Her hair raven black with a hue to blue tangling itself all over her throne and around her muscled body. She was contorted in her odd position, leaning back over her throne of skulls. Her skin was creamy but it was marred several times, over her right breasts was a defined 'I,' in the middle of her stomach seemed to be a star shape, jagged with no real definition to tell what caused it. There were claw marks on either sides of her thighs, one guess what that was from, strange that any demon would create scars though, that would require quite a bit. Her ample chest was barely covered, there seemed to be bone claws that clutched her breasts, barely covering her nipples. Around her hips was a chain made of looped bones, it was hard to tell if it was the natural bone or carved into the shape to make the belt that held a black cloth over her woman parts. Leather boots came up to her thighs, the knees covered with bone knee pads that looked far too much like human skulls. Her right arm was heavily armored with more of the boning from various creatures, her left had only a small bracer, a strange set up, but I knew why. Under each of her red eyes was a single black stripe, matching black stripes were at her wrists, ankles, hips and one over each breast. If this was it she wouldn't be quite so intimidating, but she sat before us in her true form, from her back draconic wings rested, almost as big as she was, black and scaled. She had a matching tail that hung over the arm of her throne, the end of it seemed to have a blade on either side. From her forehead were two sets of horns, yes two, one curved and pointed up, the other set curled back around her elfish ears like ram's horns. From her shoulders and hips more spiked horns protruded, three at each shoulder, the armor on her left shoulder had cut outs to fit the strange horns protruding from her skin.

"Seyerna…." I whispered the devil's name and her eyes met mine, her lips raised into a smile to bare four sets of fangs, four on top and four on bottom they easily slid into each other.

"You've come to learn my story of Midoriko?" The demoness' voice was far too seductive, too soft and sexy, it didn't seem right, it never did.

I knew how she knew, but the curious horror on Kagome's face said she had no idea what I'd taken them too. She looked to me and her eyes begged to know why I'd lead them to their death, I knew I'd never do that to her.

"Do not fear, Seyerna is not your conventional demon, she is blind and deaf," Whatever else I'd planned to say was lost on deaf ears as all their attention turned to Seyerna as she laughed a most wicked laugh, showing us all those shark teeth of her's.

Her motion was too fast, and I was ashamed to admit it, before I'd even gotten a chance to react she was standing in front of Kagome her arm around her back, grazing her claws down my priestess' back. I swallowed, I'd lose if I confronted the demoness like this, I didn't want to admit it, but this was not the place to get into trivial fights. Most of these demons didn't care about humans, so I forced myself to relax, even as Seyerna leaned down so close I thought she'd kiss Kagome.

"I watched her die, you know…. I was there…. Sorry bitch…." Seyerna's voice was quiet but ever word seemed to be overly enunciated, it probably related to her being deaf.

"Why…? I mean… how?" Kagome whispered, she was definitely afraid, but she wouldn't back down, I couldn't be more proud of my priestess at that moment.

Seyerna tilted her head, funny that Kagome didn't ask how Seyerna knew what they wanted, of course Seyerna was always eager to explain, she liked how uncomfortable it made people, even I felt violated around this woman.

"Why, my little Priestess, I can hear your thoughts. Who needs to hear the words you speak, when you're practically giving yourself to me?" She cooed almost affectionately as those long black claws trailed over Kagome's forehead. How much more would Kagome take before she snapped at her, it wouldn't end well, even InuYasha knew well enough to be silent.

Luckily it seemed Seyerna was growing bored with the lack of response and she let Kagome go, backing up to sit at her throne again. "I didn't actually kill her, you know. Midoriko never liked me; of course I never liked her much. I was much younger when she was around, much more foolish, I don't know why I wasted my time teasing the priestess. She never could take a joke. One day it came, I knew it was just a matter of time before all those demons that escaped her would come back to finish her, and they did. I admit I was being a little childish, she'd hurt my ego days before when she'd actually beaten me in a fight, maybe I'd have saved her if she hadn't felt the need to rub it in my face." Curious that as she spoke of defeat there was no anger in her face, curious even more that a demon would admit to defeat, but then again I need remind myself these were not normal demons we were among. "I saw them come at her, saw them overwhelm her, I thought they'd take her, violate her and get rid of that precious innocence of her. I'd never prayed such a crime on a woman before, in fact I prevent it among many, but her, she all but ridiculed me for the crimes committed against me," Seyerna's hand moved to her thigh, the claw marks and I realized; why hadn't I put it together, the demoness had been raped. I wonder how long ago that had been if she carried the scars back in Midoriko's life time.

"They had no sexual interests in the priestess, they devoured her. I remember her voice screaming at me for help. I turned my back," Seyerna laughed wickedly as if thinking back on the occasion brought her joy. "Midoriko was the only priestess to ever learn how to rip a demons soul from them. I remember her screaming she'd take me to hell with her and then the pain. The bitch tried to rip my soul from me. Luckily it was too late, but let me tell you, having your soul torn is not a pleasant feeling, you've known no such pain until you've had your soul torn apart." Seyerna clenched her fists so tight her palms bleed from her claws and I was sure every demon could smell it, the power that those few drops of blood exposed her for. She may be hiding her power, but ripping open her skin showed how much was actually there.

"Would you like a piece of my soul, Priestess? Though it seems you already carry a piece," Seyerna tossed something to Kagoma, I couldn't make it out, just that the trail of dark power it left behind it made me cringe. Kagome caught it and flinched, holding it up to watch as the dark jewel fragments turned from pitch black, blacker than anything she'd ever seen before, to the pure white of her power.

"It's funny, ya know," All attention returned to Seyerna, "The theory is that the jewel can be dark or light because of Midoriko's soul and the demon's that devoured her constantly fighting, but that's not true. Those demons were pitiful, they used cowardly means to defeat her, attacking her after a draining battle when she couldn't fend them off." Seyerna's eyes grew dark, even I was curious what her true thoughts were about Midorkio, I'd always known the story of the demoness' soul being a part of the jewel, but I hadn't been certain how true it was. Now, standing before her and the jewel, I could feel her power inside the small crystal as well. How much power really existed in that small gem?


	11. Chapter 11

All night all I could think about was the feel of the demoness' hands on my arms, I'd never felt such darkness before, like I was being engulfed in pure blackness, not even Naraku's aura had stood up against that, and yet, I wasn't sure she was evil. There was the slightest difference between the hatred I felt in Naraku's and the bland existence of Seyerna's, perhaps Seyerna just knew how to hide it better than Naraku, but that didn't seem right, she didn't hurt me. Whenever I was too close to Naraku there was physical pain from his dark aura, her's just felt like a weight on my skin, like wearing a lead vest for an X-ray, nothing painful. Even still, I could not mistake her hands, when she'd pulled away, I saw for the briefest moment the spark of my white energy against her dark energy, it seemed I'd left a mark on her but she hadn't on me? I couldn't figure out why, let alone how? I wonder if Sesshoumaru had noticed the blisters the clash of our power had left on her, surely he had, could he explain why I didn't share similar blisters?

The camp fire was roaring and I was amazed Sesshoumaru had stuck around, I suppose though he hadn't gotten what he wanted just yet, and what could that be? Tetsusaiga? Surely he didn't think he could get it now, InuYasha wouldn't let him take me twice. Then again, InuYasha may not be able to stop him if he really wanted too.

Sesshoumaru's eyes met mine and he held me captive for far too long, InuYasha would begin to suspect something if we did this often, but the desire in his eyes, when did I learn how to read that? Finally he got up and left, maybe the tension was getting to him, cause it was sure making my skin crawl. No one had spoken since we'd left the demoness' grove, it seemed we all had too much to think about. Why would Sesshoumaru take us to her, he had mentioned he wanted to prove how futile our efforts were. Suppose he believed it the demoness' fault the jewel even existed, why would he expect a demon to save a human? Her story sounded like one would expect of any demon. But even as I thought it I knew that wasn't quite right, the way the demoness spoke of Midoriko, the mention of her own rape, as if the way Midoriko treated her upset her somehow. Why would a demon care what a human thought?

I was going to give myself a headache if I kept thinking on this. I looked from the fire to see Sesshoumaru gone, InuYasha was in his tree and Sango and Miroku had laid down to sleep, I should too, but the night felt so cold without Sesshoumaru's warmth beside me, not to mention the raging thoughts in my mind. A bath sounded more appealing.

I picked up my things and headed to the spring, we'd stopped by earlier to fill water bottles and canteens, and of course a little extra for InuYasha's ramen. Amazing that the brothers hadn't fought or even scowled at each other the entire walk, why did it have to take the presence of the darkest demon in existence to get them to calm down?

I waved at InuYasha to let him know where I was going, he gave me a grunt and rolled away. As long as he didn't come looking for me. I'd thought the springs were a short walk away, but it seemed I'd miscounted, it seemed closer to fifteen minutes than five, but I wasn't going back now. I reached the water's edged and I couldn't help the smile, the solitude of nature always calmed my racing mind and heart when need be.

Stripping I didn't hesitate to slip into the water, it was warm but still managed to relax my heated skin. With a dip under the water I soaked my hair, rubbing my eyes to find red eyes staring at me from across the spring. I wasn't afraid, in fact, I felt almost safer, I'd never forget the look of those blind red eyes, they held so much, so much of what? I feared I knew, but I didn't want to admit it. The only time I'd seen such eyes was when grandma died, the look in grandpa's eyes was enough to tear my heart into pieces, these eyes, of this dark demoness seemed consumed by them, did they ever shine in happiness? Grandpa had eventually returned to a stable level where he could laugh again, still I could see the twine of pain in his eyes, but not this demoness, no woman, it seemed unnatural for so much pain to exist in one's eye, what had this woman endured to give her such eyes?

"Did I hurt you badly?" I whispered, the demoness stared a moment before she looked down to her hand, it seemed strange that she was so good at faking sight, but I suppose letting it be public knowledge of her handicap was begging for it. Then again Sesshoumaru knew, maybe it already was public knowledge, but then why did she fake sight?

I was mesmerized as she removed her skimpy armor, it seemed she was fully dressed to my eyes, watching as the armor was removed leaving red skin where it rubbed her hide raw, why would she wear something so uncomfortable? She was naked before me and her scars stood out even more, I noted several I hadn't seen before, slashes around her throat and several on her forearms, inside and out. She stepped into the water and came closer finding a place to sit across from me. How strange that we would sit like this, like old friends, and still I couldn't be afraid of her, she looked too much like a wounded animal to me.

"No, not badly, it'll be gone by sun rise, it's common when I come upon one of pure power to leave such marks on me, my own fault for stepping within your personal comfort zone I suppose…." Her voice was softer now than it was earlier, it wasn't as guarded, did she feel as comfortable with me as I did with her?

"How come I don't have any marks on me? Your power doesn't even hurt me…." The demoness smiled at me then, I could see her fangs, it was only then I noticed her wings and tail were gone, her horns as well, she looked like most demons do, she had such a strange true form, she didn't turn into a giant dog or massive monster, she looked like a succubus almost, maybe she was? Why not, with all the different kinds of demons I'd met in this era it wasn't impossible after all.

"No, I'm not a succubus, but I suppose I have some similar qualities to one." Oh, yea, she can read minds. "And I don't hurt you because I've no reason too, you're not a threat to me and you're not hostile to me."

I frowned, I didn't believe she was a threat to me and she certainly wasn't hostile to me, again she surprised me with her mind reading abilities, "Doesn't matter, you don't trust me, what's more you wouldn't know how to lock down that power of yours anyway, that Sesshoumaru has such an interest in you is amazing to me, I can't believe you haven't purified him in bed yet." I blushed darkly as she made my relationship with the demon so widely known, suppose there was no hiding the truth from her.

"You won't speak of it will you?" I silently prayed she wouldn't.

"Not my place. I try not to intrude but it's difficult when every other thought you're envisioning him. Really I just use it as a way of communication, I can't hear you so I listen to your thoughts, generally just what you're about to say. When I first lost my hearing I'd interrupt people before they even got a chance to state their thoughts, it's amazing how quickly our minds form our thoughts and yet how long it takes us to create the words for them. Usually I use other people's minds as a judge, when someone speaks and their thoughts appear in another person's mind that's when they've spoken their thoughts." It was amazing to listen to the demoness, her explanation of how she read minds, trying to feel what it must be like for her, wondering what it must sound like.

"Tell me, Kagome," She caught me off guard by using my name, it seemed the only people who did were Sango, Miroku and Shippo, Sesshoumaru used pet names and InuYasha, well he tended to be less than nice. I could see her waiting for my thoughts to clear, waiting for me to focus back on her so I reeled back in and waited for her to continue. "How did you obtain that black mark on your aura?"

"Black mark?" I responded quickly, I didn't know much about auras, but every now and then I could "see" a particularly powerful or dominate one like Seyerna's here and her's was pitch black.

Seyerna was shaking her head I suppose to my thoughts, "No one is born with a black aura, dark in color perhaps, but not black," My thoughts mimicked the question I didn't get to ask 'but wasn't her's black?' "It is not completely black, but enough that it's hard to notice the natural dark purple to my aura." I was struggling to find this purple in her aura, knowing so little about auras made the task almost impossible.

Something cool touched my shoulder and I all but jumped out of my skin to see Seyerna very close to me, her breasts were touching my arm, "Let me help you…" She cooed to me and I could feel her power mold around me, I was sure it would be painful but it wasn't, just a sense of calm came over me and I closed my eyes to her command, "Relax…" She would purr to me and I got a sense of velvet gliding across my skin but it was her power, her voice, such an ability. And suddenly I _could_ see it, through my mind's eye I could see her aura much more clearly now, and I searched and searched and finally I found it a small shine seemed to gleam through at one spot, and then I found another and another, but they were so small, it seemed like the blackness was a glass shell melted and cooled to fit perfectly over her aura but broken in spots where her aura shined through.

She let me go, pulling back and everything faded back and I felt the water of the spring around me again, I could do naught but blink at the demoness. "Why? Or how?"

The demoness leaned back and stared up, I looked up too, it was just stars and I was reminded at how dark it got in the feudal era with no lights or buildings to block out the stars they stood out. "We obtain black… splotches throughout our lives when something horrible happens: If the person you've loved for two decades dies; If your home is destroyed in a fire; If your best friend betrays you; If your childhood is ripped from you…" I got the impression the last one was a bit personal for her, the anger in her voice was undeniable, but she said I had a black mark? What was that from? It seemed it had to be a big deal, could it be the way InuYasha practically dragged me around? Never loving me but never letting me go? Seyerna shook her head to my thoughts, "The heart is very durable, you've not known InuYasha long enough for such an action to leave such a mark, it something darker than love, perhaps betrayal?" Her words and maybe it was just all the focus of the Shikon jewel, of Midoriko… of Kikyou. Kikyou held a portion of me to survive, InuYasha still goes to her. I felt tears in my eyes, and anger in my heart, I didn't like it, I wanted to remember the way InuYasha had looked at me, the love, but then I found my thoughts straying back to Sesshoumaru.

The silence was screaming and I looked up to see Seyerna staring at me as if contemplating, "I may have underestimated you, Kagome, perhaps there is hope for you yet, but you'll have to restore your soul first…" I didn't know what she meant and I didn't get a chance to ask, let alone find out if it had been Kikyou that had tainted my aura, though as I watched her get up and leave I knew it was. Kikyou, or more that InuYasha still chose her over me, had all but left me to die on the day of Kikyou's resurrection was the reason for the black mark on my aura.

I leaned back into the water, touching my chest where I could feel my heart beat, it felt like there should have been ripples coming from my chest for my heart was pounding.


	12. Chapter 12

How disgusting, how could InuYasha have any relations with that thing that smelt of dirt when he had that luscious miko following him around whom all but fawned over him? I let the thought go as it started to make my chest clench. I don't know what that feeling was or how it was able to give me physical pain but best not to dwell on things that could weaken oneself. Isn't that what all the demons here strived for, the ultimate power? Then why was it that Seyerna had no fear in stripping naked and approaching my miko?

I admit it, I was curious to see what the demoness wanted, unfortunately it seemed like a lot of the conversation wasn't spoken, at least on Kagome's part, the demoness responded before she even spoke. I was fascinated that Kagome didn't shy away or become afraid, if anything her aura seemed to calm down when the demoness had shown herself. Perhaps there was something to this demoness, having her as an ally to the west would be a great advantage; of course, I doubt she's any interest in political wars, just a thought.

Seyerna didn't remain long, in fact I noticed her leaving was around the time InuYasha had finished his spur with the dead priestess, was she protecting Kagome? Did she know of Kagome's affection? She could read minds, I suppose. Seyerna had disappeared into the forest and I could see her aura spike just as one of those strange soul creatures flew over, Kagome's followed suit as she caught sight of the creature. Kagome was quick to climb out of the water and start dressing, I knew she'd follow it, seemed to be her masochistic side.

I don't know what propelled me to do it but I dropped from the trees and captured her from behind, locking my arms around her and pinning her arms to her side. We sat in silence as I listen to her heart rate sky rocket, coming down when she recognized it was me. I wonder when she became comfortable about me, and why I preferred it, enjoyed it even. Her dainty hands came up and touched my forearm, leaning her cheek down to rub my arm. The action was so affectionate I was caught off guard and I couldn't seem to let her go or even recoil. I felt so light when she touched me and when she showed me affection I thought I went deaf for a moment, and yet I couldn't bring myself to see that as a negative thing.

I must have loosened my grip as at some point she twisted around and stared up at me with those rich blue eyes of her's. I could see all her power swarming around, Seyerna had spoken of a black spot on Kagome's aura but Kagome had never spoken the words out loud from what could have caused it, I was left wondering. I knew it was there, but I'd never concerned myself with it before.

Seyerna's aura completely disappeared into the dark night, she could have just hidden it, but I doubt it, she was gone, for now anyway, she'd taken a disturbing liking to my priestess and I knew she'd be back.

Kagome's mouth on my jaw shocked me, did she feel me jump when she did that? If she had she didn't show it as her mouth shifted along my throat, why was I letting her do this to me? What's more why was she doing it? The smell of liquid salt made me pull her back and look down into her eyes.

Who would cause this beautiful nymph to cry? Even as I thought it I knew the answer, InuYasha had lain with the dead priestess again and somehow Kagome knew that. Perhaps she just associated the soul demon with it. When else did they come around after all, I wouldn't actually know the answer to that. But even still, even I knew the dead priestess kept them around, at the very least she knew InuYasha went to her, what they did, perhaps it was better if she didn't know exactly. If she didn't already, I was going to make sure she didn't see it firsthand.

I enjoyed her eagerness as her hands trailed against my body, when had Kagome become so aggressive? She pulled open my kimono and was kissing every inch of exposed skin, at this rate I'd become her willing slave. I had to stop her before she stole my thoughts. I picked her up and laid her down, still naked onto the soft grass beside the spring. Straddling her I quickly stole her mouth and pinned her arms back. I wanted to take her so bad, but not now, not like this, what difference would it make if I turned her into a common whore? She wasn't supposed to mean anything to me, but I knew if I took her I'd want it to be permanent. Why couldn't I hate the thought of mating her? Of being forever with this one woman? But the hatred just wouldn't come and I melted into her kiss almost reluctantly. She owned me, body and mind it seemed and I wasn't about to let InuYasha take her from me.

I was roaming her body with my hands when the words fell out, "Return with me, to the palace, it is not your place to protect the jewel…." I didn't regret them, but the rejection that was on Kagome's face made me wish I hadn't spoken them.

"Even if it is Seyerna's fault, I have to help, if not InuYasha, then Seyerna, for my life is linked to the jewel," I tried to pull away but her arms locked around my neck and pulled me close to her and for all my worth I couldn't escape her grasp or the eyes that held me. The apology was in her eyes, the fear, but why was she afraid, it was me who was rejected? "Please don't be angry, come with me? I want you to stay with me?" The words fell of her tongue and my heart must have skipped a beat for a moment I couldn't hear her heart beat or the crickets or the breaking of the shards of grass under our weight, all I could focus on were those delicate words that meant so much and yet so very little. "Don't leave me, Sess…."

I pressed my mouth to her's in that instant and whispered against her lips when we could no longer hold our breath, "Never, Kagome…." She crushed her mouth against mine once more and I laid myself upon her body, she felt so amazing. If I played with her this time, would I be able to stop? She was already struggling with the ties to my clothes. Silently I caught her hands again, not sure when it had escaped my grasp in the first place. "No…" But the word was difficult and I hoped she couldn't tell how disjointed it sounded to me.

Her face contorted into anger and she pushed at my chest, I knew she was trying with all her might to push me away and I just couldn't figure out why. Quietly and almost reluctantly I let her push me back and she quickly moved away struggling to pull on the kimono I'd given her. Her hands were shaking and she wouldn't look at me.

"Priestess…" I started but she turned and glared hateful eyes to me that even I found myself silent in the face of.

"Why do you tease me but won't take me? It's not like you have seen and touched ever part of me! And yet you won't take me, as if I were vile or disgusting! Is that what it is, Sesshoumaru? My humanity disgusts you!" She hissed at me and I realized I'd never seen or heard such anger from her before, this anger came from her heart. Did she really think I didn't want her? Did she not notice the effect just kissing her had on my body?

"You do not disgust me." But I didn't think she'd be sated for her anger never came down her aura was on fire with her rage. I don't know where the words came from or why I admitted it, "When I take you, Kagome, it will be permanent; are you prepared for that?"

Her eyes went wide and her aura went back down to a soft blue, though still spiky with the effects of her rage. She looked away a red tint was coming about her cheeks, "You mean that?"

Of course I meant it, why would I say it otherwise? "You're no common whore." Her eyes looked at me with such hope I thought she'd smother me with them. She came to me with the kimono loosely around her, the obi still on the ground. I sat back so she could settle herself in my lap, I didn't realize how much the action pleased me until she leaned in close and I could smell the flowery scent of her hair.

When had we gone from enemies to forbidden lovers? Did I really just refer to us as lovers? But as I stared down her head, I knew that's exactly what she was to me, a lover, what was I to her, I wonder? She pulled at my arm in front of her and into her lap, gently stroking each finger and down the length of each claw? Was she afraid of me? No, there was no fear about her, Kagome didn't understand she was supposed to be afraid of demons. She'd only ever been afraid of me when I'd tried to…. My breathing stuttered, why was I so ashamed of when I'd attacked her? She'd stood in the way so I'd planned to remove her like I would have anyone, right?

She pulled my hand up and placed it over her chest, I could feel her heart beat, the fragile thing it was, beating softly against her chest, softened by the tender flesh between. Her body was so soft, so fragile, but there was so much power in it. Even now I could feel it prickling against my skin, something that had never stopped me from touching her, may have even encouraged me, knowing she could purify me.

Grazing my nails over her skin I watched her shiver as I stroked over her bare breasts and over her soft stomach. She was smiling when she looked up at me and I couldn't help but lean down and kiss her petal soft mouth. She leaned back and I held her in my arm, keeping one hand obediently on her stomach, I would not take her here and I didn't trust myself enough to stop from taking her this eve.

I pulled away and it seemed like forever that we just stared at each other, the silence was not so awkward with her, and she always knew what to say when breaking it, like now: "I look forward to when you will take me…." I wonder if she felt my body harden as hundreds of visuals flooded my mind.

I didn't respond as reluctant I was to admit it, I was just as eager. One day, this priestess would be all mine. I let her go, urging her to stand I helped her dress, all the time regretting the loss of each inch of skin that was covered. "Go, return to your companions."

She took two steps and turned back, "Will I see you in the morning?" She was so quick sometimes it caught me off guard, I could not deny her.

"I will return to you in time…." Her face lowered as she registered the words, I would not be back in the morning, I wanted to find out more about Seyerna, I felt like there was so much more to be told about the wicked woman. I didn't know if it would help in the search for the Shikon jewel, but I was curious enough to find out anyway.

'In time,' how much time I wondered, would it be days? Months? I was too impatient for months, I hoped it was only a day or so, but there would be no telling. I was reluctant to go back and knowing he may not be back for months I couldn't help but go back to him, embracing him once more, he hesitated but I felt his arms wrap around my back and I was reminded of the sense of security I've found in no one's arms but his.

When had our relationship progressed to this? He let me go and I escaped before I threw myself at him and demanded he take me. He may have said I wasn't a common whore but I just might start acting like one. I wanted him so bad my hands were shaking when I left.

The return to camp felt much shorter than the initial walk to the springs. Seyerna had answered some of my questions and Sesshoumaru had calmed my bleeding heart. I found myself staring into the fire again, feeling Sesshoumaru's aura disappeared, when did I learn how to do that? I had a feeling it related to what Seyerna had done with me earlier. Somehow she'd opened up my mind's eye, let me see through a less cloudy window. The demoness had many secrets and I was curious about them. I was certain about two things now, Seyerna wasn't an evil creature, even if she played the part, her heart was not cruel, and I wanted Sesshoumaru, I don't know how deep my feelings for him go, but they're definitely there.

InuYasha's aura caught my attention and for the first time I noticed how red it was, when his brother's seemed so calm, InuYasha's looked like a fire, but there was something else there, something that made me think of myself. I focused so hard trying to decipher where I knew it from and then it hit me, not as hard as I'd have thought, it was Kikyou's. Of course he had, I'd seen the soul stealer, InuYasha never misses a chance to see Kikyou. Their auras were so close, so twisted about each other in such a way, I can't imagine what the look of disgust on my face must have looked like. The thought of that clay body, was it even warm?

He came upon the camp and I made sure I was laying down when he showed up, curled up in my sleeping bag I realized I wasn't angry, I didn't care anymore, let him have his dead priestess. Seyerna's words came to me then, in my fog of sleep, to restore my soul. I blinked and when I did I saw a soul stealer fly over, would I have to kill Kikyou to do that? I recognized the following feeling all too well, pain, pain for what it would do to InuYasha, and pain for taking a life, even if she did exist on violent emotions and a portion of my soul, she was a victim in this. Why did I even consider what the demoness said, she was not an ally, but somehow I knew I could trust her, what would happen if I did get my soul back from Kikyou? What would it do to me? Would Seyerna return? Did I care? I did, I don't know why but I wanted Seyerna closer, I wanted to protect her from all the pain I'd seen in her eyes. Silly of me, I'm sure, but I really do wish I could.


	13. Chapter 13

What a welcoming, to come home to find out one of the Western Lands most powerful allies had been assassinated, the Eastern Domain was in an uproar, Lord Raidon had been murdered the night before, messengers were running around like chickens with their heads cut off to get the message out to everyone. Hopefully I'd received the message before enemies of the East did, regardless I had to head out, it seemed my investigation of Seyerna would be put on hold for this political matter. I wasn't certain Lord Raidon even had an heir, and if he did it may only be a child not old enough to run an entire kingdom. Being Lord Raidon's only ally that put me in a rather annoying position, if I didn't take over the lands till an appropriate heir came about the neutral Lord, Lord Makoto would take them and honestly I don't know what he'd do with them, he'd no interest in war, perhaps he'd divide them among the other Lords, but it would do me no good to have a small portion of land not even connected through an ally to my own. It would be a three day trip just to get there, perhaps I should stop and see Kagome this eve for it might be months till I see her after this.

I spent the day preparing, taking five of my own elite guards, I would travel through night and day, but tonight I'd stop to see Kagome. It felt like everything took far too long, maybe it was knowing that after tonight it would be weeks if not months till I saw Kagome again, or perhaps they really were taking too long that had me snapping at everyone. Jaken was by my side and the groveling creature tended to be whenever we left the palace, and Rin, I hated leaving her at the palace without me, many of my servant were demons and I wasn't certain how they'd treat her without me around, so I had another idea for the child as she couldn't go with me, there was one other person I could trust with her safety, as odd as it may seem.

Rin road astride Aun, it was already late so within minutes she was asleep, good, while I needed to take her with me she didn't need to know the kind of goodbye I would offer Kagome. My few good trusted men made camp, they were quiet demons and I was grateful for the solitude even in their company. Some of them I'd known since I was a child, others were centuries older than me who had served my father, but all of them were loyal to the grave. I left them in silence, they never questioned me, I appreciated that, I'd never had to instill that into them, it just was, maybe it was because of how many unanswered questions they'd received over the decades.

I left Aun and Rin a ways from the river, far enough that the human wouldn't hear anything, but close enough that I could smell and hear her, though I was confident Aun would protect her, the dragon seemed to have taken a liking to her.

I reached the river side where I could smell Kagome's scent, it was a pleasing fact that she was such a clean human when so many of her kind would sit in their stench for weeks if not months sometimes, however, Kagome always managed to smell of flowers and vanilla. I made my entrance in utter silence approaching her and sitting behind her, it should be no surprise to me that Seyerna's aura was just off in the distance. She knew I was close and her aura disappeared into the darkness, again I wasn't sure if she was hiding or had actually left. I didn't care, let her watch.

Kagome was humming to herself and I could help but smile. Slowly I stripped and came up behind her, sliding my legs into the water around her, she didn't jerk, her aura didn't even change, surely she knew I was here by now, yet no reaction? Kagome continued to hum and her fingers touched my shin, dancing up my leg and back down drifting off she twisted and rose slightly pressing her breasts into my knee and reaching over to grab a bottle by the water's edge.

She held it to me and her eyes twinkled with such mischief, how had she known I was there?

His aura was mahogany, InuYasha's was red like a fire engine, but Sesshoumaru's was a soft rich wine color one could snuggle into like a blanket. When did I become so aware of auras? Sesshoumaru slipped into the water behind me and his aura twisted, I hadn't quite figured out what each motion meant, anger was pretty easy to determine, the aura would spike and lash around in a jagged motion, but this, it seemed to twist and twine around itself, confusion maybe? I'm not sure about what though, perhaps that's not right.

I reached over for the bottle of shampoo, intentionally pushing my chest into his leg, smiling back at him as I handed him the bottle to wash my hair, yes it was certainly confusion in his eyes. Again I find myself caught off guard at how easily I've learn to read his eyes, while his face may be stoic and cold his eyes scream out at me with all of his secrets. I dipped back and soaked my hair and he went to work at washing it. I was glad for the silence, maybe out of character for me, but Sesshoumaru had taught me a sense of serenity that can only be found in the silence. When once I had found his company awkward now it was just calm, serene.

His claws scratched into my scalp and I must have groaned because his aura melted into something soft and luscious, like the way chocolate melts in your mouth, oh the mere feeling of this one told me what it was, lust, desire. I wonder if my own mimicked his. Is this how Seyerna survived, feeling auras on a whole new level? Or could InuYasha feel it like this just as well as anyone with a days practice. I'd have to ask her about it the next time I seen her.

He pushed on the top of my head and I obeyed, sinking into the water and drifting away. I swam away and surfaced smiling at him, I hoped he could read all the mischief in my eyes that I felt. I wanted him to play with me like he had that first night again, I missed his domination of me, what would it take to entice him enough to do it?

He held the bottle to me and I couldn't resist, touching his hair was such a treat. I swam back and took the bottle, sitting behind him and I pressed my front flush against his back and kissed his pointed eat, cooing to him before licking the shell, I felt him shiver and I couldn't help but grin. He might be physically more powerful, but I was not without my own power. I started washing his hair, lathering it in the vanilla scented shampoo and scratching at his scalp, I loved the soft purrs that came from him, delighted that my demon lord could make such sounds from my gentle ministrations.

I urged him under and when he went under I took the chance to twist around so when he surfaced I was straddling his lap. I was unprepared though, his member pushed at my entrance and I gasped. His hands were at my forearms holding me over him, a simple push and it would all be over, all the games, all the playing, all the delightful torture, one swift movement and I would be his, and he… mine.

The next second I was airborne and splashed into the deep water, choking and gasping as I surfaced, spitting out water. Sesshoumaru was standing at the water's edge, still naked and I could see how much he really wanted me at this angle. He was divine, I couldn't be angry that he'd thrown me, for some reason he didn't want to take me here, maybe he wanted to take me on a bed in a proper setting for a virgin, I didn't know, but he'd already told me he would, and I believed that.

He started dressing and I moved as quickly as I could through the water and wrapped my arms around him from behind, pressing my cheek into his back, "Please don't leave, I'm sorry, I won't do it again."

He breathed deep and his voice came out husky and raspy, "But I can't promise I won't…."

He shrugged me off but I was persistent taking his arm I gave him my best puppy dog eyes and whispered as sexily as I could, "I want you to touch me like you had the first night," It took all of my strength to say it, but as the words rolled out they made heat boil between my legs and pleasure ripple through me with vivid memories.

His motions were slow as he turned to face me fully, taking my forearms he raised them up and made me grab a low hanging branch, leaning close he whispering in that husky voice that made me shiver with delight, "Stay…" and I didn't move a muscle.

He left me for only a moment to pull his obi from his pile of clothes, quickly wrapping my wrists and tying them to the branch. I was panting when he pulled away eager already, my position was just what I wanted. Even though my legs weren't spread I was more than happy to hold them wide for him, letting him gaze at my naked wet body. I'd have jumped this demon if I didn't already know he'd stop me.

His eyes were hungry as they took in my exposed nudity, his aura matched it, that melted look seeming to boil as he became more and more eager. I bit my lip as he moved closer, taking my mouth he was rough and demanding, kissing with all his pent up passion, and I return it with every bit of my own eagerness. I pushed myself closer to him, rubbing my breasts into him, anything to taunt him, to make him tease me.

Sesshoumaru did not disappoint as his fingers danced down my sides, gently tickling me I wiggled from side to side. He shifted to my rear, squeezing before smacking once, than twice, the wetness made it sting all the more, but I wasn't going to complain. He released my mouth and I whined, nipping his shoulder as he moved out of view and out of range. Standing behind me he pushed his member against my bottom and I remembered what it'd felt like in my rear, this position, I wasn't sure how it would work with me being so much shorter than him. His intentions seemed to be elsewhere as his hand cupped me between the legs and I struggled not to squeeze my legs to hold his hand there, even more to keep from thrusting into him.

His claws raked ever so lightly over my lips and I couldn't stop the shiver that followed, it almost tickled it was so light, and yet it was maddening as he did it again and again. "Beg me…" He purred into my ear.

I was hard pressed to deny him, but that was half the fun, "Never…" I cooed back, kissing his cheek before he escaped my range again.

His claws left my lips and shifted down my thighs, gently tickling the tender flesh, I whimpered and wiggled my hips, "Du-dunn't Sesss…." I tried to resist giggling as the soft mew only encouraged him to tease my thighs more, and still I held my legs spread for him. My toes dug into the soft grass, uprooting the innocent blades.

His claws went back to tickling my lips but his mouth quickly stole my attention with a soft bite to the shoulder, than lower, biting all down my back, I wonder if it was harder than I realized, so dazed in my pleasure, would it leave marks. When he bit my ass cheek I jumped and yelped, so unprepared was I for such an action, but oddly aroused by it, he did it again and I squeezed.

He was moving again, this time to kneel in front of me, he lifted my thigh onto his shoulder and his tongue licked my lips, tickling them with the teasing ministration, circling and stroking. I giggled and tugged on the binding, then he was tickling my thigh again and my feet and torso wiggled uncontrollably, trying not to buck at him, I liked his face right there, knowing all the things his amazing tongue could do to me. He started licking harder, pushing between the lips and flicking my clit, I groaned. His thumbs spread my lips and he licked my clit so lightly I thought I'd scream from the sensation it left, fluttering his tongue gradually applying more pressure only to slow and soften again.

He started kissing my thigh and his thumb took the place of his tongue, circling the swollen bud, a finger pushed into my core with one long slow stroke. I whimpered and squeezed his finger for all my worth, whining as he started moving it.

It wasn't fair to be tickled while being pleasured, wanting it so bad, knowing if you move to much you won't get your treat. He was biting at my inner thigh, and it tickled so much, he switched, using one hand to tickle my thigh while his mouth assaulted my clit again, a finger still deep inside of me. He worked me hard and I was giggling and moaning from the dual sensation. I arched as I came close but he stopped, oh I should have known, hadn't I asked for this, but as I hung limp panting all I could think were angry mean names to call him. My hips were trembling from the denial and he was grinning at me when he stood up.

Kissing my mouth I could taste myself on his lips. His hands roamed all over my body and I seemed to be hypersensitive, moaning from the slightest graze over my hips or breasts. He pinched my nipple and I whimpered as he pulled harder, oh he got so rough like this and I couldn't seem to hate him for it or even not get even more aroused by it. He bit my breasts and his fangs pushed sharply into the soft flesh.

"Sessh…." I cooed and he kissed down my stomach, biting softly around my naval. "You're a god…." He chuckled, maybe not the best thing to say to an already arrogant demon, but right now, I'd give him anything.

He slipped back around behind me and ran his hands down the underside of my thighs before sweeping them out from under me, holding me by my thighs and keeping them spread wide, "Wouldn't you love to have an audience right now?" My breath caught in my throat and I felt pleasure roll down my body in waves of sinful delight at his suggestion. "To be watched while I dominate your body?" I moaned and closed my eyes envisioning my audience. "To scream your pleasure while they gaze at your divine body?" I thought I could cum from his words, my pussy was on fire, even spread so wide to the cool night air, I felt like an inferno.

He released one of my legs and I touched my toes to the ground. He wasted no time and when his fingers grazed over my lips I trembled and moaned, "Oh please, don't deny me, Master, please…." I begged and he continued to lightly stroke me with the pads of his fingers. My body squirming helplessly as he kept petting me. I'd raise my hips to his hand and he'd pull away.

Finally he gave mercy and slid two fingers into me, pumping me vigorously. I howled and whined as he pushed me to the edges of my mind and made me cum with such power. I screamed but suddenly his hand was over my mouth before I got to make the noise, he pushed the side of his hands into my mouth and I bit him as he kept working my body. I couldn't take this, and yet he kept going, I could have sworn I already came but his fingers kept moving, kept twisting and demanding more from my body. When my voice was hoarse from screaming, even if it was muffled on his hand, and my body trembled from the intensity, but seemed limp in my meager bondage, he finally stopped.

He pulled away and untied my wrists, catching me as my knees crumbled beneath me. He kissed my ear so tenderly, I was at a loss as to what one would call such an action, loving? "I must go, InuYasha grows restless, dress quickly and I will bring Rin around."

Rin? Why was Rin here? What's more, "But you haven't…" He looked back at me oddly, but quickly escaped into the darkness with his clothes, no one could ever accuse Sesshoumaru of being a greedy lover, that's for sure.

Moments later he returned, fully dressed while I was still struggling with my skirt, I'd returned to my school uniform. My hands were shaking and I just couldn't find out which way the skirt went. Looking over, Rin was asleep upon Aun's back. Sesshoumaru helped me finish dressing and after another minute my hands stabilized and he took Rin from Aun's back and handed her to me.

I held the child and maybe I was just exhausted but she felt so heavy. "Where will you go?" I whispered, I doubted I was lucky enough that he'd come back two nights in a row.

"I had never wanted to leave you this long, Kagome. The Eastern Lord was assassinated two nights past and the West was his only ally, I need to go and instill his heir or at the least stabilize his lands until a new heir can be found." He turned away and I was mildly amazed he'd given me such an explanation, I hadn't had to fight him for one. He stopped at the edges of the forest and looked back, "Wait for me…" He whispered and disappeared into the darkness.

"Lord Raidon, huh…." I jumped and twisted around so fast I almost lost Rin, there stood Seyerna, she was dressed more casually this time, in a kimono that hit her just below the knees, all white trimmed in red thread and held closed by a red obi, her feet were wrapped in red cloth, no shoes. Even without all her body showing I was reminded how intimidating the woman was just by the sheer size of her, she rivaled Sesshoumaru in height but was at least a few inches shorter, six foot or taller. She was broad in comparison to me, but her entire body fit to her, the red obi made her seem exceptionally curvy.

"How come you always catch me off guard and yet everyone else's aura seems to be neon in comparison?"

Seyerna smiled at me, showing her fangs, but I'd come to see the smile as just that, a smile, it didn't seem so frightening anymore. "I'm glad you catch on so well, I thought you would when you so easily found my aura. Perhaps I'll show you something else next time we meet, for now you should return to your comrades, the halfbreed grows restless."

I smiled at her, "You worry for me…" Seyerna didn't answer but the slightest twinkle in her eye let me know I was right. She disappeared at that, had she watched me and Sesshoumaru? I blushed darkly and quickly escaped to camp.

She'd never answered my question about why I can't see her aura, if she wasn't going to tell me I doubt anything I said would convince her otherwise. What's more she'd known who the Eastern Lord was, Sesshoumaru may have told me once but I couldn't remember, I wonder what she knows of him, or what she has to do with him anyway.


	14. Chapter 14

"You do have a way of getting around don't you?" And there from the darkness out of nowhere it seemed Seyerna breached the forest, I don't know if she was intentionally hiding her aura or not or if it was just a habit for her at this point, she wasn't trying to be quiet, her foot steps were too heavy, no attempt at even trying to be quiet or avoid the sticks beneath her feet. She increased her pace and I waved a hand to my guard which surrounded me, they didn't like her any more than I did, but at the same time I knew she wasn't a threat, she had little interest in politics and fighting with me would surround her in politics. "What do you want?" I'd thought she was going to stay by Kagome, the way she'd taken such an interest in her. While on some level I knew InuYasha would protect Rin with his life as he did Kagome, it was Seyerna I knew who would be close by.

Seyerna shrugged, I hated that action, it meant everything and nothing at the same time, I preferred more defined straightforward responses. "Kagome and the child are fine. InuYasha seems to spend his days looking for jewel shards, I don't much like to be around the shards, but you should put more faith in your brother, he might be a little hard headed but he's stronger than the average demon." I hated when she would read my thoughts, but at the same time she wouldn't speak at all if she didn't, she'd never know what I spoke to her. "Which is why we're at a moot point. Just wait till I rip your memories from you let's see how violated you feel then?"

I jolted at her and in a moment had her throat in my clutches. I regretted it as soon as I did it but it was too late to back down, her neck felt so vulnerable beneath my claws. Could she really take someone's memories from them? I squeezed and put forth as much anger as I could but she didn't move, I held her on her toes and she remained limp. Why wouldn't she fight me after I attacked her? She raised her hand and trailed her nails down my arm, reaching my shoulder only to drop her hand to her side again. I made eye contact with her and that might have been my mistake, the darkness in her eyes, the humor that over lay it made me want to strangle her.

"Because, Sesshoumaru…" She whispered and her voice reminded me of a snake sliding over my skin, "You're afraid of me…." She chuckled and grinned an open mouth grin, baring all four sets of fangs. I dropped her, I wasn't going to do anything else, I'd regained my thoughts and she was fucking right, the woman gave me the creeps like nothing else, and yes, I feared her taking my own mind from me, violating a most sacred sanction of any man, their own mind, was nothing safe from this vile witch?

"Don't be so gruff, Sesshomaru, trust me, if I go that deep into your mind, you'll know and you'll never forget it…." I did a lot of speaking with my expressions, but with her, I never got the chance, she saw right through me. The question was simple and yet held everything, what did she mean?

Maybe I was distracted or maybe she was just that fast, for I felt her fingers dancing across my shoulders, pressing close to whisper to me, "In order to breach one's memories, I must first break through their will, once I do that I leave an impression of myself on the person. So, even if I were to, say… destroy a memory, perhaps the face of their dying mother," I stiffened, that bitch, that was low, "They would always know I'd been inside their heads, they may never know what I did there, or how, but they'd know, that somehow, someway, I'd marked them forever with my essence…."

I growled and grabbed her arm and flung her from me, I won't admit how disappointed I was that she seemed to flutter away like a fairy, like I'd merely nudged her. I'd wanted her to go crashing into the ground like InuYasha would have. I was spoiled, fighting off weak demons, playing with creatures beneath me, when all this time creatures like this monster were bettering themselves, fighting creatures they were destined to lose against all in the hopes of becoming strong. I couldn't remember the last time I'd taken on a challenging fight, maybe I just hadn't encountered one. What excuse was that when demons like Seyerna went looking for them, their bodies covered in scars that to most would be hideous reminders of failure, but to them were encouraging marks of success and eagerness.

Seyerna frowned, "I'm not here to fight with you Sesshoumaru, in fact I'll happily do your biding and return to your miko if you but answer a few questions for me." I was curious now, why would she come here to harass me anyway? "I want to know about Lord Raidon, how was he killed? What did the letter that informed you say?"

Now I was really curious, what did she care of Lord Raiden, she surely had no interest in politics and I doubted she was much of a gossiper. "Sesshoumaru," She spoke impatiently. I tried to think of the exact words, I wanted to know why she cared so much and to find out I knew I'd have to be a little giving. As far as I could remember the letters didn't say anything about how, just that it was two nights past, it had been late, he'd been murdered in his sleep, no traces of any creature or demon were left behind that any of them could find. I'd have to search the scene myself to see if they over looked anything, doubtful, at that range even the lowliest of demons should have at least smelled something, hard to go wrong there.

I focused on Seyerna's face again, it was dark, contemplating, "What do you know, Seyerna?"

Her eyes twitched up a fraction to focus on me, though I don't know how blind eyes could manage, she did. "Merely theories, and I know how your council works, condemning demons without valid proof. I won't give names unless I'm certain."

"But you will give names?" I had to ask, it would make my life so much easier if I knew who killed him. Seyerna just stared at me, then about faced and left, I doubted I'd get the truth from her if she knew who it was, probably someone under her protection, I wonder just how many of the demons in that forest would fight with her if the demon council came down on her.

Rin didn't speak to any of us, maybe she was offended Sesshoumaru had left her with us. InuYasha didn't seem to care the child was there one way or another, though I'd been drilled for answers when I came back last night with her. I tried honesty and that seemed to veer them all away; told them the Eastern Lord was murdered and Sesshoumaru didn't want to take Rin there so he left her with me, though I did lie and said I spent much time with her back at the palace, it was just part of the cover story. However, Rin was making my cover story hard to believe with her distant behavior to me, to be fair I barely knew the child; I do hope to change that though.

Rin remained silent throughout our first day traveling together perhaps the awkwardness made the day fly by, between the way my own friends acted to me and the child we all knew to be Sesshoumaru's ward accompanying us with the silence of a grave and the look of desolation on her face. Tomorrow I planned to work with the child, get her to open up and maybe convince her Sesshoumaru only had her best interest in mind, she seemed so attached to him.

Night came about, we'd collected another jewel shard and as I dropped it into the small vial I remembered how black the shards Seyerna had given me were. If she wasn't actually evil, why'd they turn so black? I suppose it was because she was still dark in power, which was rather contradicting to what I knew to be. Wasn't dark magic a sign of evil and white power a sign of goodness?

"Oh and you think Kikyou is good?" I jerked; realizing I'd wandered quite a way as I looked up to see Seyerna's eyes in the darkness.

"Why do you always seem to be about?" She dropped from the trees, literally her landing made no sound; I had to stare at her feet a moment to be certain they were actually touching the ground.

She shrugged and walked to me in that graceful way she did, coming in step beside me, "Because I enjoy your company, it's not often I come across one so lacking in discrimination."

"What do you mean?" I whispered, vaguely wondering if she was intentionally waiting till I spoke the words, it was quite disconcerting to have some respond to unspoken questions.

"You don't see a demon, you see a woman, like minds flock together after all." It took me a moment to register that and then I thought of the way she'd reacted to me since day one, she had never seen me as a "lowly" human, just another girl.

"You'd tried to scare me the day we met?" I peered up at her and she stared ahead.

"I had, and I was impressed with all the thoughts of me that crossed your mind. So rarely do I get 'what curious eyes' instead of 'what horrible eyes!' Oh the horror most humans must feel when coming in contact with one such as me, even when I stand before you as I do now. When we'd met I was all demon, course I hadn't been expecting company either, but all the more impressed I was by your timid curiosities of me and lack of baseless hatred." It was amazing to walk with a demon like Seyerna, so much power, and now I could feel her aura against me, I could see the soft light of purple that gleamed through those few spots, how it wrapped around me and I felt I had my own blanket made of Seyerna protecting me. I couldn't help but smile, this demon was like none I'd met before, even InuYasha had his judgments, always making remarks about how Sango, Miroku and I would need to stop to rest and eat.

I watched as Seyerna's head bowed, her words came out whispered and I wondered if she'd meant to say them at all: "If you had any idea how hard I tried to convince Midoriko of that. We're not the same, I'm not like them…."

"You lied about the story of Midoriko?" The words fell out and when her face turned on me and it looked like her pain was fresh I regretted them more than anything.

There may have been tears in her eyes but I wasn't sure, her head bowed again and her hair slipped over her shoulder shielding her from me. As much as I wanted to know the truth I wanted to hug this wounded creature even more, but I was afraid, scared of how she would respond if I showed such affections.

"Do not look at me with such pity, Kagome, I have the kind of power most demons could only dream of and yet you gaze at me as if I have nothing at all…" I didn't want to tell her I wasn't sure she had anything, what was power if you had no reason to have it? Of course, she knew my thoughts and responded accordingly, "One failure does not mean I've no one to protect, Kagome." And I looked at her with hope then, she chuckled at me. "One day, maybe I'll take you to see the Sirens, you'd like them I think, their voices feel like silk running over your bare skin, it's a most curious feeling, though I don't imagine men enjoy their company too much," She laughed as she said it. I didn't know Sirens existed, again as I stand in this woman's presences she has me questioning what I knew to exist or not.

"What really happened to Midoriko, you wouldn't really have allowed demons to rape her?" I heard her sigh at my words.

"Of course not Kagome, me and Midoriko didn't get along, but I certainly wouldn't allow some man to express his dominance over any woman. By the time I met her she was in her thirties, only a year or so before her death would come about. She hated me on sight but I was mesmerized by her power, I'm a demon, I admit to loving power, to craving it on a level humans don't understand, but even back then, so many hundreds of years ago I did not take innocent lives. I saw her as nothing more than another woman with a lot of power and I wanted to know how she did what she did. She would have nothing of my curiosities, condemned me for being a demon, saw nothing beyond that. No matter what I said or even did, she would curse me and attack me no matter how many times I backed down from a fight, many times I would let her hit me, trying desperately to get close to her to make her stop so I could just _talk_ to her." Seyerna breathed deep; I got the feeling this would be a long story when she sat down on a cold rock beneath an elderly willow.

I sat by her and waited silently, she did not keep me waiting, her voice was filled with all the emotion she'd held for this woman, for this memory of her's. "I don't know what caused that woman to hate demons so much; just that she hated them with a passion. I could still see and hear back then, but I couldn't read her eyes, they were void of everything, of love, of hate, of pain, she was just an angry shell of a human, with a lot of wasted power and skills.

"I could have saved her, I knew days before those demons attacked her what they'd planned. They were tactical, gathering as many demons who'd lost friends and family to her soul stealing technique. Now that I think back on it I'm not sure how powerful she really was, or if it was that one technique that made her seem powerful. I never really tried to fight her so I guess I couldn't be certain, that's really beside the point though isn't it. I knew, I knew the day they were supposed to attack her, I'd overheard their plan and I'd intended to intercept them the day of. Oh, I had it all planned out in my head, I would come to Midoriko's rescue and she would chant her apologies to me telling me she was wrong and begging for forgiveness. But that didn't happen." Seyerna sat up straight only to lean her head back and stare at the stars, brushing her thick mane of black hair from her face and twisting it over one shoulder, only then did I notice the thin layer of sweat at her brow, it was warm out tonight, but not so much that I was sweating.

She began again after a moment, still I remained silent, "I miscalculated the vicious nature of your average demon, they attacked a day earlier than they initially planned. I was too late by the time I sensed them charging to where I knew her to be. I tried; I ran as fast as I could, I remember the wind lashing at my eyes so hard it brought tears. I was so close, I was upon them but already her feet were frozen with her power as she struggled to defend herself, so many of them, she pulled power from the depths of her soul to vanquish them. No matter how fast I thought I was, I wasn't fast enough. I grabbed her hand and her power coursed through me like ice in my veins. I remember screaming until my throat was raw, the tears in my eyes that burned like acid down my face from her power that had shifted into my skin upon touching her. It eventually became so intense, the pain, that is, that I passed out, the only time in my life I ever feinted.

"When I woke up the Shikon Jewel was in my palm, I was on the ground by the statue I'm sure you've seen of Midoriko and the demons howling around her trying to devour her. Maybe it's my fault for touching her that she was cursed to the jewel, I don't know, just that when I touched her she took a piece of me too. I imagine she always wanted to kill me, but I'd always escaped her before she could." There were tears on Seyerna's face, I hadn't noticed when she started crying, but I wiggled myself onto the small rock next to her and rested my cheek on her shoulder. What kind of demon cried for the life of a human who hated you? I didn't know, but there was no faking the tears on Seyerna's face or the way her aura seemed to shrink and writhe as if in pain itself. I wrapped my arms around her waist realizing how solid her body was, she placed her hand over my shoulder for a moment we sat in awkwardness than she twisted towards me and both of her arms encompassed me and I squeezed her back with as much worth as I could. It may just be the sense of failure that depressed her, but I doubted it, one overcame failure, somehow, Seyerna had felt connected to Midoriko, I had a feeling it went deeper back into Seyerna's past, something for another time.

"It's not just a matter of failure, Kagome, yes it bothers me that I failed, but it's not like I messed up and scratched my arm. This mess up took an innocent life, and her blood will always be on my hands," She knew my thoughts, 'but she tried to kill you, how does that make her innocent?' "For the same reasons that you did not judge my initial story, you looked at me as if I were a wounded animal, the same way I looked at her. I've theorized and contemplated outlandish stories about why she hated demons so passionately, ultimately I believe she once loved a demon and somehow that demon betrayed her. I could not blame her for that, not when I know so intimately what demons do to humans for sport…." I didn't want to know what kind of memories were held behind those bloody eyes, I was content to just believe it was more horrible than anything I wanted to imagine let alone see or hear about. She could keep her secrets of her past, for no matter how much she bled for Midoriko, I was certain much of that blood was from her own sacrifice and pain.

Seyerna sighed and twisted away from me and off the rock, her hands gently rested on her sides where my hands had wrapped around her. "I fear I'm not able to do what I'd come here for. You'll have to forgive me Kagome, you seemed to have drained me for all my worth, next time I'll see if I can get you to hold all of that lovely power of yours in check, I'm sure it'll make our meetings a bit more pleasant for me." She chuckled but I could see the outward pain the action caused, what had I done to her?

I stood up and rushed over to her before she could escape me as she always does, grabbing her arm she looked back at me, never flinching, if my touch hurt her why didn't she recoil or react at all. How much pain did one have to endure to be able to become completely unmoving in the face of pain? She smiled at my thoughts, "You're such a curious one, do let me go Kagome before you leave more blisters on me." I jerked back and on her wrist I could see the red marks already forming, how long had I held her? Did her waist share such marks? Or were they worse?

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean…"

She cut me off with another soft laugh, "Do not fret," She raised her hand and combed her fingers through my hair, gently touching my cheek she stepped forward and kissed my forehead much like the way grandpa would. "I'll be healed by sunrise," And she escaped me before I could stop her again, her laughter ringing through the forest, I imagine from my frustrated thoughts at how she always disappeared on me.

With a groan I realized her aura disappeared as it always did, did she do that? Hiding it somehow, or was my sensing range just really short? I gave up and headed back to camp. The other's seemed as distant as I felt, did they have an idea what had occurred between me and Sesshoumaru? How would they react when they do find out? So many questions and no answers. I was grateful for Seyerna, she had many answers if not all of the ones I'd like, still it kept my mind from racing on all the negative questions I couldn't answer.

Sango smiled at me and I moved to sit by her and stare into the fire, she asked me where I'd gone and I mindlessly told her I went for a walk, of course that brought about more questions, I wasn't sure I should tell them I was secretly seeing Seyerna. Sango was a demon slayer and I always found I had a tendency to blindly trust people, in this case I knew Seyerna was an ally if not a friend, but Sango wouldn't know that, not yet anyway. In due time I suppose.

Couldn't tell you most of what we talked about, it all seemed so insignificant anymore, I barely retained any of it, and I spent so much time in my thoughts that I wasn't the chatterbox they all knew me to be, but none of them remarked on it. Maybe they liked my silence better?

This wasn't the same group I'd been kidnapped from, they seemed so doom and gloom, was I really the reason for their happiness day in and day out? Now without my chipper attitude they seemed to have lost their merit for life. I sighed and laid into my sleeping bag, even if it was true I just couldn't bring myself to be so giggly and happy, not with the fear of InuYasha finding out about Sesshoumaru and I, Naraku of course, and then Seyerna, such a curious figure she was and I seemed to spend as much time thinking about Sesshoumaru as I did all the secrets Seyerna held in her eyes.


	15. Chapter 15

I didn't see Seyerna again throughout the trip to the Eastern Domain, in fact it was oddly quiet, of course, not many demons would be brave enough to attack not one but six full fledge demons at once, that was kind of the point of taking a guard along, that and when we did reach the Eastern Domain there's no telling what kind of state it would be it. They could be in an uproar, servants running amuck, demons trying to name themselves Lord, so much could go wrong in this kind of situation, that's why I was so amazed when I did come upon the palace. Everything seemed in order, nothing was broken, everything was clean and orderly as if their Lord hadn't just died. I was welcomed in with gracious greetings by demon women in barely any clothing, I couldn't seem to find any interest in them, though they did remind me of Kagome in the revealing outfit I'd had her wear for me the last night we'd spent at the palace. I waved them away and that was when a young demoness approached me, she was a pale creature with matching hair and dark eyes. Her hands shook as she approached me, she was obviously a servant, what did she want?

"You are Lord Sesshoumaru? Could we speak in private?" Her voice shook as she whispered to me, no one else seemed to know anything of my arrival, acting surprised, why did they think I wouldn't come for such an occasion? But this child seemed to know why I was here. I waved everyone out of the room and I gestured for her to sit, she didn't, but I did, from a sitting position she was as tall as me.

She writhed her hands, I tried not to get impatient, this was a delicate situation, "I haven't told anyone…. I didn't know what to do, with there being no heir. I had a spell cast on my Lord's room to preserve it just as I found it. I've been telling everyone he's very sick and doesn't want to be bothered, I'm glad you came so quickly, I don't know how much longer they would have believed me before charging into his room." What a smart girl, even if she didn't realize it she may have saved hundreds of lives, though she probably endangered her own, then again maybe she was just afraid she'd be accused of killing him.

"You're his personal servant, I assume?" She nodded, "Take me to his room," She bowed deeply and turned. I followed her in silence, my guard was in the shadows, they'd stayed close by and likely heard the conversation. On the third floor, we came to the most outlandish door, Raidon did always want the best and he tended to want what everyone else had if he didn't already have it. The young servant girl pushed open the door and I peered in, I could feel the barrier around the room, the girl hadn't lied it was made to preserve the room, nothing more, perhaps hide the scent of the dead. I covered my nose and went in, sure enough Lord Raidon laid face down blood was soaked into the mattress and sheets, a puddle had formed on the hard flooring, the spell the servant had placed on the room kept it from coagulating. I wondered around to see the slit to his throat, it was deep and precise, no hesitation from this killer. Also apparently no honor, attacking a man in his sleep.

I started in one corner of the room and searched every crevice, the desk, the drawers, even the sheets around his corpse, there was nothing, no scent, no hairs, no nothing. The killer knew what they were doing and was probably in and out in a matter of minutes if not less. I wouldn't find anything from this room, questioning would be better, but we all know how people feel about talking to me, even the servant girl who was probably the one who sent for me was scared out of her mind of me. Corvin had a way with words, he would do the interrogations.

Night again and I was eager to find Seyerna, I wanted to make sure she was alright, I'd barely slept knowing I'd hurt her so badly. I tried so hard to distract myself throughout the day, I got Rin to talk to me and I gave her a lolipop and she blossomed into a happy child but I just couldn't mimic her happiness, everything felt so confusing right now.

I was hurrying into the forest, I wasn't running, but maybe the bush I'd all but ran through had left some scratches. Then suddenly I could feel her aura and I bolted ahead, panting when I finally stopped at the edges of the small lake, a waterfall was rushing violently into the pool. Seyerna was in the water not far from me, her elbows on a rock and her chin rested on her forearms and her eyes fixed on me a glint of humor in them.

"If you hadn't been so frantic I'd have never let you find me like this." She grumbled before pushing off of the rock and swimming away, she was so darn graceful it made me sick, I heard her laugh and she choked on water when she did, okay maybe not that graceful. She splashed at me with that thought, "I like the mindless complimenting better, why so desperate to find me, little one?"

I smiled and took off my shoes and socks to slip my feet into the water, it was still cool, it hadn't been warm enough long enough for this bit of water to heat up. "I wanted to know if you were okay."

She sighed, "You won't give up on that will you?" I shook my head, knowing I wouldn't be happy until I'd saw the marks I left on her and had tended to them personally. She groaned and swam towards me, rising out of the water she stood in front of me stark naked with no shame or sense of modesty whatsoever. I was momentarily taken back, yes I'd seen her naked before, but she'd been mostly covered, never intentionally standing naked in front of me like she did now. She raised her arms and put her hands at the back of her head to relax while I examined the marks going around her waist from where my arms had been.

"Why is it the marks seem most focused where my hands were and the further down where my arms had been it gets less concentrated and completely fades away. Oh and you said you'd be healed by sunrise!" I spat angrily crossing my arms.

Seyerna laughed at me and put her arms down, "Scabs don't count as wounds!" She teased back and slipped back into the water, hiding herself once more. "It's more concentrated because our hands are one of our focus points for magic, it's very easy to conduct magic through ones hands, not so much through the middle of one's forearm," She chuckled. "I do believe I promised to help you hold all that lovely power in check, already your aura is giving me chills." It amazed me how I didn't feel her aura at all unless she wanted me too. "And I'm going to show you how to do that too. Come, come, Kagome, strip down and come swimming with me."

I nodded and obeyed her quickly taking off my clothes and sliding into the cool water, hesitantly as it touched my breasts and the coldness really hit me. I gritted my teeth and dove in. Seyerna was there when I surfaced, pulling me close to her and our bodies were flush together and I can't imagine how red my face must have been, feeling her breasts squished against mine made me think of my one experience with another woman, of Naomi, oh I missed her, I hope she was doing well.

Seyerna's face contorted then, into curiosity I believe. "What?" She merely shook her head.

"Anyway, I'm going to show you how to compress your aura, right now it runs rampant, everyone around you can see and feel it. It is the shell to your powers, per say, by hiding it your hide all your power so people like me can't see you anymore. As you are you're practically a beacon for demons who crave priestesses, you could light up the night sky with that much power and knowing that it's so untouched makes you a prime target, it's no surprise you fight demons day in and day out." She turned me in her arms and I barely had to kick to keep us up, she was able to tread water well enough that I could have pushed all my air out and still stayed afloat in her arms.

"What I'm going to do might be a little uncomfortable, I'll try to keep my power as neutral as possible so it shouldn't hurt, let me know if I hurt you though, okay? Just be aware there is a difference from uncomfortable to painful." I nodded, suddenly really nervous, she hugged me, "It'll be fine, just relax. The power is yours, it belongs to you, it came from your body so it can fit back inside of it with a bit of work. Just got to fold it right." I nodded again.

For a whole minute I felt nothing we sat in silence with my back to her chest, she held me around the chest, I could feel her against me, breathing, slowly, evenly. Then it came, the slightest pressure, I closed my eyes to figure out what it was, it was her aura pushing down on my own, never before had it felt like this, auras seemed intangible, sliding around and through each other, but now, even though I couldn't technically see it, she'd somehow made it solid so it blanketed my own like plastic wrap and was slowly shrinking around me. The visual of being suffocated scared me half to death and she stopped, and shook me.

"Kagome, stop with such thoughts, it's nothing like that, my aura can't hurt you like that, it will only hurt you if I let it and I have no intentions of such things. Let's try again, but only if you say you trust me, if you don't we'll wait." I breathed deep, realizing my heart was pounding, I closed my eyes and watched her aura, soft and smooth again drifting around me like that blanket from the night before, it felt warm and cozy, maybe if I didn't focus on it so much, watched the water.

"Alright, Seyerna, I trust you," I focused on the waterfall as I felt the pressure again. I had to keep reminding myself to not close my eyes, to not look at the auras, just watch the water, I told myself. Seyerna started stroking my arms and I relaxed against her, letting her hold me against her, and then I was thinking of the night before when I'd burned her wrist, the marks I'd seen on her today. I calmed again, knowing I hated hurting her and I could do this if for nothing else than to make sure I never hurt a friend ever again by not controlling my own power.

Her aura kept pushing and I was reminded of getting my blood pressure checked, that tight band around my upper arm squeezing to an uncomfortable level, but this was all over my body. I did feel like I was being suffocated, but as I focused I realized I was breathing fine, it was all in my mind. My body was getting hotter and hotter, even in the cold water I felt like I was boiling. I could hear myself panting, and everything sat as it was, the pressure remained at that, I was waiting for the blood pressure cuff to release but it never did.

Almost absent mindedly I could feel Seyerna dragging her claws down the back of my head, gently scratching down my scalp. She was trying to relax me, why didn't she just let go, release me from her aura? "Because that would defeat the point, I'm not pushing into you Kagome, it's all your power, all I did was push it inside your body, now you need to situate it and make it comfortable while it's all bottle inside of you. I can't release you until you relax else your power will just shoot out of your body again." I see, she rubbed my arms and played with my hair but I didn't feel like I was making any progresses. Slowly I started figuring out how to shift it and it felt like I could feel my blood moving under my skin. Uncomfortable was an understatement, I felt like my skin was stretching before my eyes. I continually clenched and unclenched various muscles around my body but it didn't seem to affect the power rushing under my skin, pushing against Seyerna's aura.

I heard her behind me, was she panting? I closed my eyes then and I could see, her aura was encompassing me like a glove, no that wasn't quite right, more like a corset with the way I felt under the pressure. Was her aura… shaking? I think it was, why?

"Kagome…" Seyerna's voice was hoarse and shaking, "You can do this…. Pull your power back, into your soul, it's yours, you are the Mistress of your body and your powers so own it…." I focused on my power and on my heart, I could feel all my power inside of me and I sucked in my breath and pulled, for all my worth it seemed like only an inch moved and I was running out of air. I was sure my face was turning blue from trying to hold my breath, but I was so amazed I could literally feel my power receding from my limbs and it felt like it disappeared into my heart. "Breathe…" Her voice made me jump and my power jerked again and she groaned when it bashed against her aura trying to escape. She was tired, that's what was wrong, it was draining for her to do this!

I focused harder, this time remembering to breathe. Slowly I found the trick, the feel, pulling inch by inch my power into my heart and when it seemed it was all bundled in I closed the door and shivered, my body felt like it was glowing from the residue and I felt exhausted. Something changed in that moment and I found myself struggling to swim from the sudden lack of Seyerna holding me up. I regained myself and circled around, grabbing Seyerna around the waist as her eyes blinked not focusing.

I managed to swim us to the shore and push her up far enough that she wouldn't sink under the surface. Slowly her eyes closed, I don't think she feinted, just fell asleep. I smiled; she looked like a child when she slept, with all the innocence in the world, though I knew that wasn't true.

I shook her softly and she groaned at me, so I shook her more, "Come on, Seyerna, you can't sleep here," I managed to get her well enough into wakefulness to bring her onto solid ground before helping her to lie back down. I dressed quickly then dressed her, which wasn't an easy task but I managed to at least cover her and get her arms into the right spot and the obi was at least around her waist though I imagine not as tight as it would need to be to keep her decency when standing and moving.

I sat by her and pulled her to rest her head in my lap, gently stroking her hair. Sitting like this I could feel my aura, now it was inside of me, it didn't feel so tight anymore, it was just me. I don't know why she wanted to help me or teach me to do certain things, but I was grateful for it and I swore with everything she taught me I would use it to protect her from all the pain she'd ever felt.

Still I wonder why doing this had exhausted her so much and so quickly. Reality was quickly coming back to me, I don't know how long I'd been in the water with Seyerna but my fingers were pruning, and InuYasha and the others would come looking for me soon. I couldn't leave Seyerna and I couldn't carry her either, I'd have to wait till either she woke up or they found me, which wasn't the best idea, I was still leery about having Seyerna around them.

A half hour passed and she remained asleep, I was glad for it, just that she got to sleep and there was no telling how often she got to really sleep, but at the same time I was scared to death of what InuYasha would say and do.

"KAGOME!" That was them, InuYasha's voice was unmistakable. I sighed and called back, in moments the group was upon me and they stared at me so strangely, eyeballing the sleeping demoness. I was caught for words.

"What the fuck you doin with that?" InuYasha growled at me and I felt Seyerna shift at the disturbance, even in her sleep she was on guard.

I put my arms over her, "She's a friend and she's weak and tired right now, I won't leave her." I wouldn't tell them I'd defend her no matter what if need be.

InuYasha glared at me and left with a grumbled "Keh," I sighed and looked to Sango for help.

Sango stared nervously, her eyes focused on the demon in my lap. Kirara approached us and nuzzled against Seyerna, maybe Kirara could see what I could see. Seyerna shifted again and caught Kirara pulling the small kitty to her where Kirara nuzzled her cheek and licked her playfully. Seyerna groaned and her eyes fluttered open, "Well, aren't you a cute kitty…." I smiled, did Seyerna realize where she was? I watched and so did the others as Seyerna scratched the scruff of Kirara's neck.

"Seyerna…" I whispered and she looked over at me through a daze, I watched in amazement as her eyes focused and I felt like I could read the memories as she remembered the last ten minutes before she fell asleep, remember what she'd been doing with me. I helped her up and watched as she resisted the urge to yawn.

"I'm sorry, Kagome, I didn't mean to pass out on you." She whispered, it was astonishing to watch how she went from asleep, to barely aware, to suddenly taking in her surroundings turning back into that calculating demon she always showed to people. I was grateful for those moments to see inside of her shell, to see the softness of her that lied within.

"You're fine. These are my friends, Kirara," I scratched Kirara's ear, the kitty demon still in Seyerna's lap, seeming to enjoy the demon's presences as much as I do. "Sango, Miroku, Shippo and Rin," I gestured to the four of them still watching with uncertain expressions.

Rin suddenly smiled and marched over to us, grinning from ear to ear, "Hello, do you know Lord Sesshoumaru?" She chirped happily, it shouldn't have surprised me she'd jump at an opportunity to enquire about Sesshoumaru, which made me think about him as well, I hope he was doing okay. What could he do about a dead Lord anyway?

"I do," my attention jerked back to the presence to see Seyerna staring at me though her words were for Rin, "I saw him recently. It seems politics are getting in his way. You should know, Rin, he worries for your safety." Rin looked at her feet and Seyerna reached out tilting the child's head up to see her eyes, though I imagine the action was for Rin not her, since well, she was blind. "Keep faith, your Lord will return to you, little one. For now, I must go…."

I grabbed Seyerna's arm quickly, "You'll come back, won't you?"

Seyerna stood up and looked down at me, smiling, "As often as I am able, Kagome."

I smiled back, "Thank you," I whispered and let her disappear into the forest.

"Kagome, I don't trust her," I looked to Sango as I stood up, her response didn't surprise me, in fact I expected it. I didn't know how to defend the demoness so I didn't, they'd have to see with their own eyes that she wasn't an enemy, I couldn't convince them.

Rin grabbed my hand and I looked down at her, she staring up at me with that toothy smile of her's, "I liked her too," She told me and I smiled brightly for her, finally something the child and I connected on, no matter how strange.


	16. Chapter 16

Seyerna didn't come by the next night, though I looked high and low. I was keeping my power in check and Seyerna had been right about me being a beacon, no demon or creature so much as glanced our way. Though that makes me wonder; what about Miroku's spiritual powers? Why didn't demons notice his like they did mine, apparently? The question went unanswered, I kept expecting to hear Seyerna's voice from the forest answering my random thoughts, but alas nothing ever came.

We walked in silence, since they'd seen Seyerna resting in my lap they seemed nervous around me, I suppose with the way we'd met Seyerna it was curious that I'd be so friendly with her, still they didn't need to act like I was the alien, maybe they thought I was possessed? Rin however, was happy to walk by my side and chatter on and on about Sesshoumaru, telling me of all of the adventures they'd been on together, she even told me how they met and I couldn't help but giggle, I wonder if Sesshoumaru wanted her telling that one?

Jewel shards seemed to be easier to find, maybe it was because auras had become so much easier for me to sense, or perhaps because all my power was now concentrated and I could use it easier to search for shards. InuYasha seemed happy that I pinpointed a location so easily.

We came upon the town being harassed by the demon, it was a vicious looking creature, much like a troll, its eyes were yellow and tusks shot up from its jaw to just under its own eyes, its ears were huge and pointed, and it was all wrapped up in a green-blue skin coating. InuYasha as usual barged straight in, drawing Tetsusaige without a thought and flinging a wind scar at the creature. It screamed its chants in another language, raising its hands, which only had three digits, from its calloused palms wind seemed to form and shoot back, thwarting off the wind scar.

"Such tricks won't work on me," its voice was raspy and growled out the words.

Sango scoffed and pulled her giant boomerang around before lashing it out into his direct. The creature cackled and dropped low smashing his hands into the ground, and in a reverse fashion lightning shot up from the ground around the troll and struck the boomerang stopping its momentum and forcing it to drop to the ground.

"What kind of creature controls wind and lightning?" I wondered, Miroku was quick with his insight beside me, "I believe it's a shaman, it's a common practice among trolls, this one seems over powered by the jewel shard, usually such abilities require much more focus. We must assume the worst in that he can wield all elements. Kagome, perhaps you pure arrows will be able to negate any elemental attacks the creature could use."

I couldn't with hold the grin, I was eager to see if what Seyerna had taught would have an effect. I notched the arrow and aimed for the troll's snarling face, narrowing my eyes just a fraction I let go and the arrow soared through the air. The troll cackled some more and blast my arrow out of the sky with a wave of wind. Nothing, no effect, it wasn't even shrouded in my pure energy, what happened? Why were my arrows casting my pure energy anymore?

My throat tightened as I feared the worst, had Seyerna done this to me? I trusted her and she somehow closed off my own pure powers from me? How could she betray me?

"What happened, Kagome!" I heard Sango yelling to me but I could barely focus on her words, too mortified, I'd trusted her, and she'd tricked me!

Shippo patted my cheek and I blinked a few times to see him on my shoulder, "Snap out of it, Kagome, we need your help."

I shook my head feeling as useless as the day InuYasha and I had faced Yuri the hair demon. "I-I can't…." I didn't want to believe she had tricked me so I raised another arrow, focusing on the point of the arrow; I was the ruler of my body and my power. I released it. Nothing, but there, a spark, my power was there, but not as much, how do I redirect it into the arrow? I didn't know what to think or what to feel.

The troll knocked my arrow away as if it were nothing, InuYasha had quickly realized my arrows were not laced with their deadly pure power. "Damn woman!" I heard him yell, but I was too distracted by this new turn of events.

Sango struggled to strike down the troll with her boomerang but it either dodged it or used its elemental powers to veer it off course. Through successful team work – no thanks to me – Miroku pulled the beast off its feet with his wind tunnel and Sango was given the moment she needed to throw her boomerang directly for his skull, the hit was perfect, any normal creature would have been out cold, the hit merely staggered the troll though. It didn't matter though; InuYasha was there to finish the job with a wind scar, leaving nothing but groves in the ground.

I realized my hands were shaking and it had nothing to do with the troll, I was scared. Seyerna, what happened to me? What did you do? I don't remember when I dropped my bow but it was on the ground at my feet, I hugged myself and Sango rushed over to me.

"Kagome, are you alright? What happened out there?" Concern twisted her beautiful features, she picked up my bow and gestured me away, following the others silently. I leaned on Sango, I didn't want to believe Seyerna did this to me. But the thought was there, did she somehow lock my powers inside of me?

Miroku sweet talked us a night at the village headman's house and a free meal. I sat out in the spacious room alone, dark had fallen the other's had gone to bed, my mind was racing still. I rubbed my arms as the night seemed abnormally cool, just the previous night it had been warm, the turning of the seasons were always sporadic. Silence screeched on for what seemed forever, I watched the spring breeze pushing and pulling the trees, the village was black; all candles had been blown out for the evening, the children put to bed and parents finally get to relax or do other activities.

In the darkness I relaxed myself, struggling to focus on my breathing, but I was so scared. No, that's not right, I felt betrayed and I was angry, the emotion was foreign to me, I wasn't accustom to feeling anger, not like this anyway. I'd trusted Seyerna, believed her tears and the longer I sat her in silence the more I felt sure she had done just that: betrayed me. It hadn't been long since I'd last seen her, true, but how could she just leave me without a warning of what "controlling my aura" would do unless she'd meant for this to happen.

Then I felt it, her aura. I stood up and walked out of the door, determined to give her a piece of my mind. Sure, I realized if she'd intended to betray me all along that she'd probably kill me, but a little piece of me didn't want to believe that, I couldn't believe that. Her aura flashed and I realized something wasn't right about it, it was darker in color, almost blue, and for that much there was much more color, wasn't her aura a lot blacker than that?

I started running towards the aura, it kept flashing and flaring up, it reminded me of anger, but I wasn't certain. I came within hearing distance and I realized my mistake, that wasn't Seyerna's aura, but it was damn similar.

"You don't understand! I love her!" It was a male's voice, I think the aura was his, but again I couldn't be sure until I got closer. I focused like Seyerna had shown me and made sure my aura was tightly locked away inside my core. I had to watch my step to make sure I didn't break any leaves or twigs, or really make any sound. The wind was blowing towards me so hopefully they couldn't smell.

"You've no idea what you've gotten yourself into! You underestimate the council, you think they won't find out!" And that was definitely Seyerna's voice, who was she arguing with? And what about?

Still I crept closer as adrenaline grasped my heart and made me breathe faster, it was a challenge to my breathing quiet.

"Aren't you supposed to protect innocent women? I'm just following in your footsteps, isn't that what you want?" The male snarled at that, I was certain now it was his aura flashing in anger. "The things he did to her! I had to set her free!"

Seyerna growled, a strange sound, but the argument was affecting her emotionally I was sure, who was this man to her and what the hell were they talking about. "I know what the Lords do to their slave girls, in case you've forgotten, my son, what your birth was derived from!" I tripped at that and everything went silent, the blue-indigo aura disappeared and I knew they knew I was there. The male suddenly hiding his aura, he probably hadn't even realized the spectacle he was making.

I stood up and kept my head down nervously glancing over at Seyerna, her face was twisted with anger.

Her attention moved to the male and I knew they were related, the demon male was gorgeous to say the least, with features as striking as Seyerna's twisted into masculinity, such a strong jaw, with pitch black hair and angry blood colored eyes.

"Leave, son," Seyerna hissed angrily, "Go calm yourself, take a cold swim, or something, but don't come back until you've calmed down. I won't argue with you over this, the facts are there, for that much, she isn't even under his care anymore, hasn't been for several months now." The male, Seyerna's… son? Looked over at Seyerna, shock was evident on his face at the newest comment, the shock disappeared as quickly as it came replace with blank indifference, he looked at me a long moment than took off, disappearing into the forest like wind licking the leaves.

When my attention finally moved back to Seyerna I realized she was shaking and her cheeks were wet from tears. I hurried over to her, but she didn't move, her hands were fisted at her sides and suddenly I couldn't remember why I'd been in such a rush to find her.

"Seyerna…" I whispered and finally her attention landed on me, her eyes were so intense I had to take a step back; she seemed to feel my sudden fear and the anger fell away like liquid washing over her face.

She touched my arm, "You came here to yell at me about something I believe?" I laughed, I couldn't even remember why it had been so important, my arrows? Oh right, didn't Seyerna betray me? Did she lock away my power? Seyerna sighed, I watched as her mind shifted from one thought to another, piecing her thoughts into logic and the appropriate attitude for the given topic. "I'm sorry you had to find out like that, I guess I thought it was common knowledge. When you lock your power into your core you have to open it back up to actually use it."

"I thought this was just my aura we were hiding?"

Seyerna was shaking her head before I finished, "Don't you remember what I told you, your aura is like the coating to your power, it's always the final layer of power, it's what most people sense when they feel you. In order to hide your aura you must first close your power away as it will always be beneath your aura."

I couldn't bring myself to remember why I was so angry about this, I just kept thinking about the demon male Seyerna had called son, she'd mentioned the Lord's slaves. The boy, how was he born? What had she suggested there?

Seyerna groaned and I stared into her eyes stubbornly, "Tell me," I demanded and she turned and sat down by a tree.

She rubbed her forehead, hiding her face from me, "I can't believe I slipped up that badly."

"Seyerna!" I grumbled and moved closer, putting my hands on my hip, demanding an answer. "You can't take it back now."

"I realize this, though I wish I could. I was so absorbed fighting with that damn boy, I even knew you were there and I still slipped over my own tongue." I frowned, I thought I'd done so well at hiding, "Oh you did, it was your heart that gave you away, don't worry most creatures can't feel anything that well, it comes with being blind and deaf. Why don't you let me help you use your power externally, I can even show you how to make it invisible after releasing your arrows." She stood up quickly and grabbed my arm, "You didn't bring your bow, no matter, we'll just work on moving it from your heart to your hands."

I jerked away, "No, Seyerna, we won't work on anything until you tell me what happened, how was your son conceived, what do you know of the Lords."

Seyerna sighed, "Why can't you have a shorter attention span? I almost had you…" I wanted to smile, she almost did.

"If you want me to trust you, you have to trust me too…." I gave her my best puppy eyes and she laughed at me, only at that point did it occur to me that she had no idea what my face looked like.

"You're just determined to pull me piece from piece aren't you? Why does it matter you so much what I've gone through?" I crossed my arms as I sensed her trying to change the topic again and refused to answer. "Yes, Kagome, I was a slave to a Lord, much like you were to Sesshoumaru." I blushed crimson, embarrassed she knew about that, but of course she did. Seyerna sighed, "I wish I could blush about what that Lord did to me, but nothing about it is worth remembering." She rubbed her wrists and I knew the feeling, like there were still shackles holding me, but even that made me blush and my legs twitch, I had to squeeze my legs together as the thoughts brought desire to the forefront of my mind.

Seyerna chuckled darkly, "That boy… man, you saw, he is indeed my son and he was conceived from the crimes committed against me." I watched the emotion dance across her face, anger mostly, but it quickly disappeared into indifference and it must have been a safe place for her, she managed to keep from shaking or her raising her voice as she continued. "There are no fond memories of the crimes committed against me. The scars on my body from that man won't heal and I cringe from men because of him, though I like to think I hide it well." Seyerna wandered deeper into the forest and I followed her, walking by her side as she spoke. "His name…" Her fist shook then and she bared her teeth like a vicious wolf, "was Iupiter. Master Iupiter as he demanded I call him." Her angry face twisted into a devilish grin, "Iupiter is no longer with us, I made sure of that…."

Seyerna laughed and sighed, "And now my stupid son thinks he can get away with something so stupid! It was a bad idea when I did it; I know that, I told him that, I told him I could still get in trouble for it!" She breathed deep and stopped, turning to face me, "Is there something else you're going to harass me into admitting to for the night or are you content for now?" I sighed, she made me sound like a bad guy for caring, "Not a bad guy, just wish you wouldn't make me remember these things just to appease your curiosity." Put that way, I suppose it wasn't fair of me to ask. Still I was curious about what her son had done. Seyerna shook her head, "That I can't tell you until I'm certain he is safe."


	17. Chapter 17

I had been fighting with myself over whether to tell the citizens of the Eastern Domain their Lord was dead or not, Corvin's interrogations had brought up nothing, no one had seen or heard anything suspicious and as long as I kept the information of the Lord being dead I couldn't straight out ask them if they knew anything of his death. The questions asked were vague and made circles back into themselves.

I sighed, I hated sighing, but I didn't know what else to do, there was no Lord and I couldn't stay here forever and keep things stable. A new Lord would have to be brought into the picture, perhaps a General, of course when I went searching down that path I found out his right hand, his Warlord had flown the coop some time ago, long before his assassination. When the people were asked why he left, people had no idea, I didn't even know what his name was, they just called him their Warlord. Right now it seemed the Warlord was the only suspicious lead, I didn't know who he was and everyone else I'd come in contact with here certainly wasn't physically capable of being so stealthy.

Finally, I submitted and went to tell the people of his death, I'd place his second General in control for now, until we consulted Lord Makoto, perhaps he'd have someone in mind.

It was rather easy to open my powers back up, I was embarrassed that I'd got so hot headed over it when it was as simple as willing the force back into my arrows. Okay, so maybe it wasn't that easy, honestly I was still trying to twist the pure power in the right direction, it liked to go out my toes and my ears. It was easy to release it, sure, but I quickly realized when working with Seyerna that actually directing it took a lot more effort and I just couldn't seem to find the quirk. The difference seemed to be that after working with Seyerna for two hours and releasing only snippets of my power I wasn't drained from the activity, when before shooting only a few arrows would tire me out. This she explained which is obvious now that I think about it. Before when I shot an arrow the arrow would pick up as much energy as it could, I was willing it too and since I had no lock or hold on my power most of it would be wasted trailing behind it making the pretty light show we all know. That's not actually a good thing, the greatest impact is going to be on the tip of the arrow so the idea is to focus as much energy into that small pin point as possible without wasting a whole bunch on the tail and the trail it leaves behind it, as most of that will never hit the target, though she did mention it's useful in army battle situations to leave a trail – but did mention my methods of leaving a trail was not the way to do it – otherwise it's just wasted energy.

Rin was holding my hand, Shippo was on my shoulder and I was pretty happy about these turn of events. Unfortunately my thoughts kept trailing to dark places as I wondered what had happened to Seyerna, she'd obviously been raped, which made me think of my relationship with Sesshoumaru, I couldn't even form the word "hate" with his name, it just didn't fit. I was embarrassed by what transpired between us, looking at him made me blush and my woman parts twist up in desire, but for some reason I didn't hate him, if anything I was curious of him, maybe even liked him. The more I thought about it the more I thought about our last evening together, he said he'd take me and when he did it would be permanent. Is that what I wanted? Of course not, but when he stood in front of me I did; why this two-faced attitude I wasn't sure and I didn't know how to decide either.

And then there was Seyerna's son, she never mentioned his name, wonder if he could read minds too. Did Seyerna teach him? Could she teach me? Or did she only figure out how to read minds after she lost her sight and hearing? Then again, maybe she was born that way. More questions, no answers. Damn my infinite curiosities.

Darkness was eating up the sunlight Sango seemed to be growing distant or maybe I was, I didn't feel like a part of this family anymore. My thoughts were always clouded with visions of Sesshoumaru or Seyerna and now her son. I felt like I knew something I couldn't remember, yes I realize how little sense that makes, but I don't know how else to explain it. My heart is screaming, always pounding it feels like as I think I lean closer to discovering what my subconscious apparently already knows and somehow it involves Seyerna's son, if only I knew his name. Though I don't know why that would help me. Tonight I would try to keep my thoughts clear, innocent, or at least not focus on anything of recent events and then I'd ask Seyerna what her son's name was. She already made it clear she won't tell me anything of what he'd done unless she felt he was safe, but maybe, just maybe, if she believes I'm not a threat that the question is innocent, she'll tell me his name. Still I didn't know why it mattered but it felt like it was important.

I invited Sango to go bathe with me, we needed some girl time, and even with all these thoughts I still missed her dearly. I figured we'd bathe, talk girl talk, I'd find out about Miroku's most recent lecherous endeavors and she'd probably head back to camp while I hung around and waited for Seyerna, hopefully she'd show up. Maybe Sango's innocent banter could help me keep a clear mind for my encounter with Seyerna.

"Kagome, what's wrong?" I blinked a few times realizing that Sango had said my name, what had we been talking about for these few minutes it took to get to the spring and into the water? I was already naked and Sango lingered across the spring from me, her big brown eyes were full of worry, slanted down, so much emotion in her face, screaming at me. It was funny, Sesshoumaru's face didn't change nearly as much but his eyes, oh those rich amber eyes gave him away and he didn't even know it, so expressive they were that in comparison Sango's appeared almost bland.

"You've been so distant since we rescued you from Sesshoumaru, did he hurt you badly? Tell me he didn't do anything terrible to you? InuYasha seems to think he did, but he won't tell us what he smells and you've been as icy as him." The look on my face must have given away my shock as Sango's face darkened even more, "You can tell me anything, you know that, right?"

I smiled softly, knowing it didn't reach my eyes, how did I reassure her without scaring her more? "I promise, Sango, Sesshoumaru didn't hurt me. Nothing like that."

I wanted the emotion dance across this woman who had become family to me as she struggled to find the right words. There was none of this with Sesshoumaru: no nervousness to speak his mind, no fear, just direct honesty – for the most part. "Kagome, please, we're all worried about you. You're not the same. Please don't be afraid to tell me. It breaks my heart to see you like this. And then that vile demoness we saw you with." It took me a full minute to realize 'vile demoness' was Seyerna, to view her as vile is an amusing thought.

I shook my head, "Sango, I don't know how to reassure you. Yes, things happened between me and Sesshoumaru, but nothing…." I struggled for the word 'bad?' no, there were definitely bad things, naughty things, very kinky things with that thought I couldn't resist the wicked smile that made Sango shift into confusion.

"Nothing harmful or violent." I'm not sure those were the magic words, Sango may have become more confused with that, I sighed, defeated.

Wading across the spring I pulled Sango into a tight sisterly embrace, lost for words and yet desperate to ease her mind of such tension. "Seyerna is good for me, she helps me control my power, teaches me. And Sesshoumaru… Sesshoumaru is a breath of fresh air after so many years yearning for InuYasha. If nothing else, the few days I spent with Sesshoumaru taught me not to fight with InuYasha. InuYasha can live his life however he sees fit and fighting to… to…." To what? Love him? Had I wanted to love him? For him to love me? It seemed childish now after all that had transpired between me and Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru was such a man and InuYasha a little boy in comparison. I smiled, "Fighting InuYasha to love me is a waste of effort, his heart is trapped in the past and if he isn't going to look at me for Kagome and not Kikyou than I won't let him hurt me anymore."

Again I squeezed Sango and she squeezed back, "Just trust me. Though I'm sorry I've been so distant, just a lot of thoughts on my mind."

Sango rubbed my arms as she spoke, "About this? About InuYasha? Are you really… over him?"

I laughed, over him, was I? Was I ever really in love with him? Is that what that was? Wasn't heart break supposed to be life shattering? I didn't feel shattered, I felt relieved to admit this all, to finally say: "Yes, I'm done crying for him, he's made it clear he doesn't want me." And I didn't feel regret or pain, just relief.

She hugged me again and I squeezed her back, rubbing my hands up her spine. Two naked women hugging like life depended on it, Sango was too much like family, but it did make me think of Naomi, that beautiful red head whose playing servant for Sesshoumaru. I hoped to see her again soon.

We sat together for a while longer, my body was hot and pruned, I felt relaxed from the heat my muscles seemed to eat it up and melt into jello. Everything felt so serene, so perfect just like this. As expected I found out about the last village we visited and the woman Miroku asked to bear his children. That lead into Sango questioning why Miroku didn't ask her hand in marriage. I smiled as Sango leaned on me, stroking her hair as she ranted her story, the warrior in her refusing to cry over her wounded pride and battered heart. I was certain Miroku loved her and she him, but I was also certain Miroku didn't feel for the girls he asked to bear his children, yes they were beautiful but there was a method to his madness. Only now did I see it. Miroku was terrified of dying, of being swallowed up by his curse after marrying Sango and this leaving her alone to fend for whatever children he left her. The women he asked randomly had no reason to care if he died, children, if they actually agreed, but even with this revelation I wasn't sure if he was serious when he asked the random women or not. It seemed like a joke to me, but isn't it common in my era for men to pregnant women and leave them? How common is that here?

I assured Sango with words my own mother had used on me as I cried about InuYasha, sating Sango for the moment. I hoped I was right, that Miroku would marry Sango when we defeated Naraku. As I planned I persuaded Sango to leave me in peace so I could contemplate my own thoughts, reluctantly she left but told me she'd bring me my bow and arrows. I laughed but at the same time was grateful for it.

Seyerna wandered up from the darkest pit of the forest it seemed, her steps as light and effortless as a sprite, born as part of the forest. It still looked like the forest bowed to her when she walked by, was her power so black, so dark and foreboding that even the neutral powers of nature would bend to her essence? She remained silent as she sat by the spring, removing the red bindings from her feet, the bottoms dusty with dirt from her daily strides. It still amazed me how her eyes followed her hands in the action, you'd never guess she was blind. Still the silence lingered as she sat with her feet in the water for several long minutes, it was starting to make me antsy.

"Seyerna…" I whispered her name and she looked up at me, her eyes were dark and forlorn still she managed to make eye contact and it gave me the chills. "What's wrong?" Funny I'd just been pressured into revealing my thoughts to Sango now I do the same to Seyerna.

She managed a cold smile, "I'm sorry I'm not too cheery today, nothing wrong, per say, just my mind seems to not be with me." She held out her arms to me, "Come, distract me, little one, with your constant banter." I smiled, maybe it was supposed to be an insult but I went to her anyway, sitting on a rock submerged in the water just by her legs. I squeezed her knee if only for the contact with the great demoness, reminding myself it was real, this was real, she was real. I desperately wanted to know her son's name still but it didn't seem right to ask. She looked at me strangely as she read my thoughts, "I didn't tell you?... Oh, I guess I didn't. How rude of me. His name is Caim."

And my mind did flips, the name, I knew that name! I knew I knew it! She grabbed me by the shoulders and lifted me out of the water, making me sit in her lap I was shocked and cold, but unable to move as her eyes narrowed, quickly realizing my plot to find out his name. I couldn't stop the onslaught of thoughts, Naomi! Naomi! Naomi! Caim was Naomi's love! Caim was the Warlord! And Naomi had been slave to the East Lord! Caim killed Lord Raidon!

"Fuck me!" She cursed and dropped me back into the water, quickly standing up. I managed to catch myself before submerging completely watching Seyerna as she paced.

"I won't tell anyone Seyerna! Your son's secret is safe with me." I tried to calm her but she turned deadly eyes on me and for a moment I feared for my life.

"Stop that! I wouldn't hurt you! No, not me, but you don't understand! Demons can smell lies, Kagome!" I looked at her confused for a moment, then it clicked, if I was directly asked, and lied….

"Oh…" This was bad, demon politics, "But why would anyone ask me? I'm just a human; they've no reason to think I know anything."

She scoffed, "Oh please, Kagome! You hold that secret like a little girl with a sweet! Wiggling with such antsy anticipation, you'd give yourself away!" She stopped pacing and leaned against a tree, staring at the stars gleaming down at us, a constant in this madness, what had I just gotten myself into. "Kagome I can't teach you how to lie in any sort of reasonable time, but I can teach you how to hide your scent. It takes a lot of energy and it's not like you can just suddenly start hiding it the moment someone questions you, you have to keep it up all the time, to make it look like it's normal for you, something you always do, otherwise you'll just raise more suspicion. Do you understand?" I nodded unable to form coherent words, how difficult? Was about the only one that came to mind. "Extremely, it'll take up most of your powers to focus this successfully. It's usually not something rookies do, there are so many other steps we're skipping for this." She nodded to my clothes and I quickly got out and dried off before dressing.

We sat down together beside the water, I between her thighs, she urged me to lean her head back, she was so much bigger than me it was ridiculous, my head barely rested on the tops of her breasts. Slowly her fingers rubbed circles at my temples, whispering in a language I didn't know, regardless it calmed me and I figured that was probably the point after the scare she'd just given me my heart had been pounding. I was wedged tightly between Seyerna's legs her body felt like an inferno producing so much heat she made me sweat, or maybe that was just my nervousness, my heart wasn't pounding but my brain was still moving too quickly.

I heard Seyerna groan, "This isn't working, how modest are you?"

I looked over my shoulder and thought of all the humiliating thing's Sesshoumaru had done to me, "No, not really modest," but being naked in any sort of humiliating positions might turn me on at that I noticed a definitive redness to Seyerna's cheeks which in turn made me blush and look away quickly. Goodness, Seyerna really didn't need to know about my sex life but the more I thought of being naked the more the thoughts flowed.

"You've been naked with me before, but this is a little bit more intimate. Since we're skipping steps I want to try to directly… guide your powers." I nodded and I stripped down, only when I turned around did I realize Seyerna stripped too. It still amazed me how beautiful she was, such a body, she put me to shame with all her womanly curves and yet so scarred. "Come," She whispered softly to me and I went to her, she positioned me so I sat in her lap with my side to her so my legs could remain closed. She cradled me in an almost motherly way and I hung onto that thought, a clear mind would be vital for this training. She was still hot and our bodies were sticking together, it seemed strange how abnormally hot her body seemed to be. Seyerna fidgeted and I looked up at her eyes, her face was red and not with heat, with embarrassment, what had I thought that caused that?

"Wouldn't it be easier if we got in the water?"

Seyerna was shaking her head, "The water consumes your scent so you've nothing to hide, well not much anyway, the more abundant your scent is the easier it'll be for you to work with, understand?" I nodded and tried to relax, getting used to the heat our bodies made together.

I dunno how long we sat like that, Seyerna absently stroked my hair and hummed a song to me in that foreign language, I wanted to ask what language but I knew my thoughts needed to be elsewhere. Her hands felt wonderful as they rubbed up my arms, my back, my legs, my neck, my stomach… it felt like she was all over me, but I coulda sworn it was just her hands.

"Shh…." She purred to me before I could open my eyes to check, "Stop thinking so much…." I realized it was her power doing that, stroking me, wrapping me up like a blanket. She said she wanted to directly guide my power, what did that mean. "Release your power Kagome…." It took me a moment to remember her first lesson to me, to lock it away and I easily opened the door and let it flood… us? It seemed like Seyerna had opened her own flesh up to me, like we were one entity. Her breath heightened and she breathed faster, the pure power I'm sure was a lot for her, desperately I wanted to pull it back in but she scolded me quickly, "Let me show you…." I stopped, reluctantly.

In amazement I watched through my mind's eye as her dark purple power curled around my pale blue power, rubbing together like ancient lovers she curved her power so easily in one direction then another. It was an out of body experience, I'd lost where my body was at some point and it was all just power right now, raw power coursing between us. I was flabbergasted as more and more of her power seemed to form of itself, she consumed mine and yet did not suffocate me. I didn't know what she was doing but in that moment I felt like she was cradling my heart with her power, stroking it, me. I couldn't feel my limbs anymore, or my flesh, or even my heart beat, just the raw power of my soul, of Seyerna's soul, twisting and bending around each other. Vaguely I realized Seyerna was purring, I thought my power hurt her? But in this moment it seemed to relax us both, like this, where there was no good or evil, where black and white were not conflicting powers but siblings of different fathers yet shared a mother. So similar yet so very different. While both forms of power flowed and twisted, my white power responded much like a calm stream: so soft and fluid; whereas Seyerna's black power resembled a rushing waterfall: forceful and demanding.

Slowly I realized she'd found her place, Seyerna had guided me to wherever she wanted to lead me. I listened to her words, not a language I knew but I felt like I understood. "Sacerda, potential tibi prehendesti…." My power… Mine… And I held it, pulling it, pushing it, moving it much like Seyerna had, but I couldn't seem to grasp it, not like she did, not with such ease. So easily she twisted her power into circles and shapes, I barely managed to curve mine. "Noli timida esse!" I cringed at the command, struggling to command my own power, then she struck me, struck me in such a way that I was taken aback not from pain but from sheer shock and force of will. Her power seemed to have rammed mine and I crumbled. Do not be timid, she said to me, am I? Am I afraid of my own power? I breathed in, never, it was mine and I was the Mistress of my body. I pushed back, realizing I was yelling I snapped out of the daze she'd put me in and the next thing I knew I was staring into Seyerna's grinning face.

"How did you?..."

She laughed and kissed my forehead, "There's a lot of questions in your head right now, but I'd rather you go to bed and let what I've shown you sink in."

I nodded realizing I was soaking in sweat and suddenly extremely exhausted. I dropped myself into the spring but didn't have the energy to scrub myself clean so I dressed in my pajamas and went back to camp.


	18. Chapter 18

I woke up to a demon screaming about a priestess and jewel shards, and I quickly realized that was my doing. I'd been so exhausted last night I didn't realize I hadn't tucked my power back into its cubby. I wobbled to my feet only to notice my bow was nowhere to be seen, damn it, I must have left it at the spring! The others were as groggy and unprepared as I was. The sun was barely over the horizon, still a purple mist to the sky as the sun struggled to overcome the night. Even InuYasha didn't look awake, though he already had his sword drawn I could sense the weariness in him. The demon came at InuYasha and it was hard to decipher the movements, InuYasha stumbling around more haphazardly than normal. At some point the demon managed to knock Tetsaiga from InuYasha's grasp and it was obvious at that point InuYasha was not the demon's point of interest as it turned and glared angry yellow eyes at me.

I threw myself to the left as its huge green claws reached for me. I wasn't fast enough as it caught my ankle and raised me a mile into the air it seemed. I wasn't afraid of heights normally, but staring down at the ground from an upside down position with only a demon that was obviously going to eat you to keep you from crashing to a skull crushing death would make anyone respond as I did: scream, scream like a little girl.

Luck would have it that the position quickly changed and he wrapped his cold hands around my middle, binding my arms to my sides. There was no chance to respond, no chance to breathe before he squeezed and I screamed in deafening pain, the sickening crack of my own ribs echoed in my head. Through the haze of pain I couldn't focus my powers well enough to force the beast to release me.

Vaguely I could hear my companions screaming in the back ground, the next moment I was falling to the ground, unable to twist or register what direction I was falling or at what angle. When I finally met the ground my body felt like a rag doll full of stone, bashing into the ground with such a thud it reverberated through my body. I may have broken something else in the fall but the pain in my ribs clouded all other thoughts. I struggled to suck in air, the landing having pushed it all out of me as if InuYasha had struck me with the wind scar. Blinking I could see the green demon on the ground, InuYasha had regained Tetsaiga and thrust the weapon through the demon's chest where it now remained, piercing through the creature's heart.

Through a fogy vision I could see a face wielding familiar red eyes. There was a mass of several people by the demon, InuYasha's distinctive silver hair, my friends stood away from me while Seyerna peered down at me. She shifted and moved closer to me, closer to my level and gently as she could I felt her hands slide under me, even that small action made me groan in pain. Her voice was like velvet, speaking to my very soul, forcing me to relax, I'd never heard anything so amazing, weaving serenity into my being, harkening to my soul, she cradled me with her voice. She lifted me and held me like a mother holds an infant against her bosom. I closed my eyes….

When I woke up my ribs hurt like hell and the first thing I saw was Sango's worried face, tears in her eyes. She helped me rise and offered a bowl of cool water to my lips. The tension was thick in the air and even through my foggy pain shrouded mind I could feel it snapping at my skin. With a quick glance following InuYasha's angry eyes I saw the cause of the tension, Seyerna leaned lazily against a tree behind me, her eyes were staring at the ground for all she could see. But as she sensed my eyes on her she looked up and met mine in that disturbing way she does.

Seyerna shifted to me in a languid way much like a cat, like the air is made of water and she's floating through it like a mermaid in her own domain. She kneeled behind me and the moment her skin touched mine InuYasha growled, I looked up but Seyerna never stopped, fitting herself behind me so she could support me, whispering to me in a singsong way in that language I didn't know as if InuYasha wasn't even there. I felt the pain fade away and I wondered what was in her voice to make her capable of that, then again, maybe it wasn't her voice, as the more I relaxed the more I felt her power floating around me, cradling me. "I'm sorry I didn't get to you in time. I'm afraid I was… detained. Regardless, this gives us a perfect opportunity to really sit down and train you to work your magic. This could take a while, weeks even to perfect it…." I think she had more to say but at that moment InuYasha jerked up and growled angrily

"We don't have weeks! She needs to be healed now! If it were Kikyou we wouldn't have to wait at all!" That stung a bit, but Seyerna's hands on my ribs kept me from screaming the word he so despised.

Seyerna looked up at InuYasha as if he were no more than a distasteful slug slithering by, barely worthy of her looking up to him let alone the words that followed. "You mean that half woman creature? She's lovely hair considering it's made of dirt. It's too bad she's so weak, could so easily break her like a twig. All flare but not much too her to be honest as hollow as… well a corpse." Seyerna laughed in a most malicious voice making my skin crawl and InuYasha stand down, his face was red, but Seyerna's tone of voice and the demonic laughter felt like it had sparks of her black magic tingling up and down my arms. I grinned; grinned because she suggested Kikyou was weak and that I was stronger, it was nice for things to be reversed.

InuYasha growled again and took off into the forest. I jumped as Seyerna nuzzled my neck, "Don't let him get to you, Kagome and yes, you are stronger than Kikyou, just not trained, and I plan to change that if you'll let me." Smiling I looked over my shoulder at her, then to Sango and Miroku. Both of them stared at Seyerna as if they were seeing this alien for the first time. She was an alien, so different from any demon we'd come across before. Her beliefs and opinions were so very different.

Seyerna gently rubbed my stomach and reminded me we had business to take care of; only then did I realize I was fully dressed in my uniform, likely Seyerna or Sango dressed me. "How are we going to do this?"

"We're going to shift back into a similar state as we were last night, but we're not going to work all your magic at once, we're going to focus small portions as to not exhaust you like we did last night." So that's what it was, I wasn't sure why it had been so exhausting, it seemed so simple shifting my power about but that wasn't all it was. Before my power just existed, floating around me all the time, then Seyerna taught me to hide it inside of me, and then she taught me how to move it, to conduct it but we'd be moving the entire mass of power. But why didn't it exhaust me before when I'd use my arrows. "Simple actually, you weren't moving your power at all, it was a mild thought of subconscious self-defense that made your power wrap around the arrow, you didn't force the magic to propel forward the arrow did with a little help from your subconscious. Now you're going to consciously conduct your power." I nodded and let Seyerna relax me again, I was confident she would conduct me.

She did not disappoint, quickly she lulled me back into that supernatural state, where I could see our powers dancing together. So easily she shifted her power around, I was jealous, I wanted to do that without passing out afterwards. I didn't touch my power, just let Seyerna morph it into a usable state. Wrapping around me my power seemed to mesh into my skin, Seyerna lured only a small portion forth and mentally nudged me to conduct it myself. I obeyed and the small bit was much easier to dance around, before I could do too much Seyerna stopped me. Right, we had an objective; I could play with my magic later.

This very small portion of magic which looked like it could fit into my palm, Seyerna teased and toyed with making it bigger, stretching and fluffing it. There isn't one definition to explain what it looked like as it grew. I didn't know the purpose of this but this small bit of power felt softer, not like water anymore, but like clouds, it was so light and airy. She let me play with this new form a bit, rubbing against it and feeling it against my skin. She stole it back from me and wrapped it around my waist where it cooled the burning pain of my ribs, I'd dealt with the pain for so long I'd almost forgotten it was there but as this magic calmed it I remembered what it felt like to be pain free. I sighed as I rubbed it against my ribs, massaging myself. Seyerna chuckled. I didn't know what to do with the magic at this point.

"Focus, think of a smooth, white, healthy bone, think of stretching and moving your abdomen free of pain. Positive, think positive." I obeyed focusing on the white, healthy bone and where I knew it to be in my chest. Then I thought of stretching and I thought of Sesshoumaru twisting me into odd positions and doing terrible things to me. I must have moaned because Seyerna jerked and I cried out in pain. The world came back to me and Seyerna's face was beat red, "You make it impossible to train you when you think stuff like that…." I blushed darkly and Seyerna stood and moved away.

"Are we done?" I tried to twist around but my ribs still hurt, we'd gotten nowhere.

"Yes we're done and you're wrong we did get somewhere it's just not very obvious to you. You'll realize tomorrow what was done, for now you should probably sleep, with your body being wounded we'll have to take baby steps. If you pass out in the mist of it you likely won't retain any of it." Seyerna still looked a little red and even a bit frantic.

"Wait, how do I make that fluffy magic?" Seyerna looked at me and chuckled softly, rubbing her hands together awkwardly. She didn't know.

"Now that's not fair, I sorta know, but you need to understand black and white magic are very different. I understand the construct of black magic because that's what mine is; I know what it takes to make mine move and obey me. I don't have white magic it's not within me, all I have is what others have told me of white magic and what I've personally read. You've seen firsthand that black and white magic respond and act differently just from comparing my power to yours. Honestly, Kagome, you're the first with such extraordinary white magic I've ever worked with. Scares the hell out of me that you might purify me on one of our otherworldly expeditions.

"I know what healing magic looks like and feels like I just had to figure out how to make yours react like that, it's not nearly as hard as trying to rip open someone's mind… Oh, I shouldn't have said that…." Seyerna's face contorted at that moment into an emotion I wasn't certain on: fear? Confusion? "I should go before I say something else stupid…."

To rip open someone's mind? She could do that? What did that entitle? She could read minds, I knew, but what else could she do to a person's mind with a little force of will? Reading minds was as simple to her as it was for me to listen to someone speak, she need but pay attention. What could Seyerna obtain by reading between the lines, per say? And what's more, what could it do to a person? I shivered at the thought. Seyerna scared me in a way I'd never been scared before. I didn't fear being physically hurt from her. No, I feared her tearing me apart bit by bit, using my own regrets and fears to do it, and I was certain she could if she wanted too.

Sango moved to me then and she looked beautiful outlined with the setting sun behind her, wait setting sun? I knew I'd passed out for a while but when I woke the sun was not past mid-day. How much time had we actually spent in that otherworldly state as Seyerna called it?

Sango and Miroku had prepared some ramen and at the offered bowl I was glad I'd shown them, though it was really simple. InuYasha showed back up then likely because of the smell of ramen and the fact that Seyerna had disappeared. I wanted her to stay with us, so at least Sango and Miroku could learn she wasn't the enemy. InuYasha, really I don't think I cared in the least what InuYasha thought or did, I was just about done with his childish attitude.

We sat in silence and I didn't feel the need to fill the silence by scolding InuYasha or even acknowledging his existence. My ribs hurt and I had more important things to worry about than him. Sango helped me lay down and she stayed beside me that night. I couldn't sleep though, my ribs hurt too bad, so I focused on my magic, letting it surround me and cradle me. I tried to mimic what Seyerna had done, taking only a small portion and trying to stretch and expand it into that fluffy white mix she'd created. She's right it wasn't hard, knowing what it looked like and was supposed to feel like was half the battle. Once I held the magic and I was confident I could shift and move it on my own without Seyerna, obviously, I wrapped it around my ribs and visualized it sinking into my body, into the skin, through tissue and cartilage so it could cradle the cracked rib. In my head I could create an image of the damaged bone and I held onto that thought worked at completing it at the magic creating small threads in the bone and weaving together from each side until I'd completely weaved the bone into a whole, smooth link. I kept my magic wrapped tightly around the bone afraid it was too good to be true, was it that simple?

I don't know how long I held that or how long it took me to get to that point just that when I opened my eyes it was pitch black and I could see Seyerna's vibrate red eyes like beacons in the darkness staring intently at me. Sango had moved and was asleep by Miroku, InuYasha was up in the tree and Shippo, Kirara and Rin had made a puppy pile to sleep on each other just over my head. I smiled at them then looked back to Seyerna whose face had twisted into the biggest grin I'd ever seen from any demon, her teeth pristine white and day glow in the dark.

"Very well done, little one."

I twisted to her confused for only a minute until I realized the pain was gone and I touched my own ribs, "I did it…?"

Seyerna nodded still grinning, "Quite quickly considering."

"Quickly? It looks like it took me all day and night, even though I didn't realize so much time had passed. Why is that?" I wiggled closer to Seyerna and she opened her arms so I could snuggle into her warmth under this cool spring night.

"It did but healing isn't quick and you lose track of time because when you become that in tune with your magic as you are when you're healing yourself you're actually shifting dimensions, not completely, but you're partly transcending into the spiritual realm where all power is drawn from." I wonder if Seyerna realized how many questions that one statement created, I think my head erupted into questions. Seyerna chuckled, her voice hushed as one of the others shifted in their sleep, "I realize this, but it took me a long time to come to terms with other dimensions and all of what that entitled, it's not something I can teach you. If you're curious you're better off to do the research on your own than if I lectured you on it."

Silently I wondered if that's what the bone eater's well used to transcend time. At that moment I remember Seyerna was reading my thoughts and I quickly tried to clear it from my mind, but I knew it was too late, looking up to meet her eyes, her face hadn't changed though. She stared harshly into the woods across from me never looking away and doing that fake visual thing she does.

"I already knew; regardless, tomorrow we'll work on hiding you scent again." Seyerna got up and disappeared in the direction she'd been staring, bouncing over my friends like hurdles but made no sound as she did. She already knew? I suppose home is something I thought about often, but what had her so distracted she wouldn't ask questions? I stared after her but no answers formed from the darkness left in her wake.


	19. Chapter 19

The second in command was Covanus he was a respectable demon but he wasn't prepared to be in charge so I left my first in command there to help guide him. There was no heir and no one to place in charge. I really intended to go see Lord Makoto and see if he had anyone he could put in charge, however I seemed to be headed in the wrong direction and I couldn't seem to get my feet to go in the right direction.

As I got closer I found myself debating which was worse, Seyerna's scent on Kagome or InuYasha's. I won't admit to being shocked but as I was less than a mile from Kagome I came face to face with Seyerna who stood with arms crossed like she was waiting for me, her aura was hidden though. I didn't even realize she was there till I was within visual distance. It was a struggle to keep the disgust off my face; I didn't much care for this woman.

"That's too bad, Kagome seems to like me." She waved her hand before I could respond, dismissing whatever I may have said and I was moments from seeing red before she spoke again. "Stop it, I didn't stop you to fight with you. Try to act civil will you? I merely wanted to inform you Kagome was wounded the other day." All other thoughts vanished as I visualized Kagome in the worst possible situations. "No, Sesshoumaru. She just broke a rib, but I'm proud to say she healed herself quite nicely. Regardless, don't bend or twist her too much, while her magic healed seems to have given her a full recovery I want to make sure her rib is set before she starts doing flips."

Her laughter was irritating as I darted around her, I realized after I took off that I hadn't heard the end of what she'd said. Damned woman, may she burn in hell with her forbidden abilities. I still couldn't wrap my mind around the concept of mind reading, in one sense I wanted her on my side, in the other I wanted to rip her limb from limb for that snarky superior attitude she always had and smiling at that!

My thoughts returned to Kagome as I came upon her and her companions. All of them asleep, Kagome lay alone curled up by the dying fire. I went to her, kneeling beside her and picking her up as gently as I could to keep her from waking, she stirred momentarily but calmed as she turned into my chest. I carried her away, through the breaking night as morning approached. I lay her upon the ground in an empty clearing, miles from her companions and miles from other life of any form. I worked at removing her clothes and told myself it was because I hadn't had any sexual contact since I'd last seen her, but as I peeled away her shirt I realized how gently I was around her ribs, even slightly nervous she might scream in pain if I moved her too much. I growled at my own heart, betraying me as it pounded faster.

I pressed my cheek against her bare chest, listening to her heart's gentle beat, rubbing my face against her ribs, feeling the smooth expanse. Had it really been broken? It didn't feel like it, her ribs felt smooth and whole. Kagome's heart beat quickened as she shifted into wakefulness, raising to her elbows to look down at me, her gaze fogy and still tired, she probably needed more sleep, but she'd get more soon enough.

Crawling up her body I took her mouth and kissed her hard, feeling her tremble beneath me sent a wave of bliss through me. Normally I wouldn't care, wouldn't ask, but for some reason I felt compelled to know what had happened to her, I was finding it hard to believe Kagome's ribs had been broken but it wasn't even noticeable. Letting her breathe I cradled her back, holding her against me, realizing how much I'd missed the feel of her petite, fragile body pressed against mine.

"What happened?" Her ocean eyes peered up at me at the question and she smiled with pride she didn't usually show in the face of me.

"A demon grabbed me and squeezed me; he broke a rib before InuYasha got the chance to strike him down." She wasn't lying but I was finding it so hard to believe, raising an eye brow at her I urged her on with silent commands. "Seyerna arrived just before I passed out, when I woke she apologized, said she was detained, she's seemed oddly distracted lately." Probably had to do with whatever she knew about Lord Raidon, Kagome has been spending a large amount of time with the demoness perhaps she knew something, but that was for another time. "Anyway, she helped me conduct my magic into a healing form and using what she'd taught me I was able to heal myself." That would mean Seyerna is training Kagome, why? What could she gain from this? What demon helps a human just for the sake of helping one, there had to be an ulterior motive. Thoughts for another time as more pressing things demanded attention.

Changing positions I picked my feather light priestess up and made her straddle me as I sat back against a neighboring tree. She blushed prettily for me, but did not cover all her naked beauty. My hands found their way across her body, stroking the smooth delectable skin, how this priestess enchanted me so was beyond me, but I couldn't bring myself to care. Running my hands up and down her sides she danced for me a seductive dance shifting from side to side under the sensation of my fingers like feathers on her hips.

I pushed on her hips, grinding her down on my groin, resisting the urge to growl out. This damn woman drove me mad with desire. Using my sash and a protruding branch from the tree behind me I bound her hands together and pulled them up over her head making her stretch her torso, not pulling her too far keeping in mind what Seyerna had said, as much as I hated it.

Positioning myself back between her thighs and using my body as a means to keep her legs spread before kissing her bare chest, stroking her nipples to a hard nub. Her soft mews and whimpers were all I needed to encourage me to kiss and nip at the tender mounts of her breasts. Gently and ever so softly I stroked her nether lips, her body trembled and her head fell forward at the soft tease. I continued the feather light touches against her lips, watching as her hips pushed forwards and I pulled back, never allowing her any more than the lightest of touches. I kissed her mouth and continued to stroke her, teasing her thighs, squeezing the tender flesh at the junction to her core, amazed at how ticklish she was as the action made her jerk, I did it again, resisting the urge to laugh at the game.

Still I stroked her, feeling how wet she got from the action, trembling with desire, her wrists already red from pulling on the sash holding her captive. Licking and sucking her neck she cried out softly, breathy begs that didn't form a coherent sentence lost in her passion. I kept teasing her nether lips with one hand while the other rubs from her rear down the back of her thigh and up again to her ribs and squeezing her soft breasts. Such a delicious body.

"Sess…." She cooed that nickname she'd given me and I couldn't bring myself to demand she call me master instead, I think I may like the pet name. It was sinful for one body to be so soft, so curvy and so feminine; naked she was a visual representation of all that white power, so pure her body seemed, an angel in human form. I must be going mad, intoxicated with that virgin scent and her priest powers coursing and more pronounced than ever before. What had Seyerna done to her, while her power didn't spark at my skin as usual; I could smell it like it was pouring from her skin.

I was reluctant to progress further the soft mews and whimpers from the feather light touching was amazing to watch, to feel how something so simple could drive her mad. Slowly I pushed my middle finger into her and she held still, groaning as I entered her. I couldn't resist the grin at the look of bliss on Kagome's face; slowly I worked her body, demanding she keep still as I stopped with every motion of her hips. Her whimpers were euphoria but I kept a slow pace. I don't know how long I was at that but my hand was wet from Kagome's desire, so badly I wanted to take her, to remove my clothes between us and pull her hips down upon me, it would be so easy, so simple; she was just a human. Still my hands would not obey the command, I couldn't do that, and I wasn't sure why.

I pulled my finger from her enjoying the smell of pleasure on her, so strong, so intense it made my head foggy. She whimpered and squirmed in her simple bondage, but I would not sate her, not here. I untied her wrists only to retie them behind her back, picking her up I carried her home, back to the palace where it all started. I'd have to send Jaken out to collect Rin.

Today was not the day to parade my prize to my staff so instead of taking her through the palace I scaled the side of my palace and went straight in my balcony to my personal quarters. I dropped her on my bed like a dead weight, she giggled as the blanket fluffed up around her, writhing against the fur like a serpent. With her wrists still bound I picked up one of her legs and squeezed, rubbed and massaged up her calf, kissing in the wake of my hands. I couldn't believe how much I craved her skin, her body, the smoothness and softness of her I couldn't get enough of. Reaching her thighs I bit her inner thighs and she squealed a soft tone, almost comical as she wiggled from the tingling sensation it must have caused. I kissed her nether lips once before kissing down the other thigh, squeezing at the junction to make her jump and giggle. I held her calf and tickled the back of her knee till she kicked and I jumped on her pinning her down and tickling her ribs. She giggled and struggled beneath me.

I was reluctant to admit how her squirming turned me on and urged me to tickle her more. Something about the way her scent spiked at the tickling made me prefer it to physical pain. I could probably spank her and have a similar effect but I doubt I'd get the same writhing effect. I've beaten and tortured men and felt in complete control of their lives, but this kind of control, it was different, unique, obviously not something I could find outside of the privacy of my own home.

Pushing her legs wide I went for her core, kissing the soft lips and stroking my tongue softly over her slit, she trembled so I did it again and again until she was in tears and ready to scream. Barely managing not to laugh I used my thumbs to spread her lips and stroke her clit with my tongue, her leg twitched and at that point I did laugh softly before repeating the action.

She was crying and struggling to push her hips up, but I held her down pushing on her hips while still holding her lips open so I could tease her clit and entrance so gently, working at breaking down her sanity through repetitive and blissful torture.

Finally I stopped and she screamed, "Damn it!" She howled and bucked, pushing on her stomach I held her fast.

"Not tonight, my pet. I have some things to attend to and then I'll return to continue our… game…." She whimpered and wiggled against the bed, squeezing and releasing her thighs as if that would solve her problem. I left her hands bound to make sure she couldn't pleasure herself before escaping the room.

In the darkest parts of the forest a demon born of an unknown birth, the bane of all demon males with eyes that mimicked the color of blood to stir the bloodlust in their hearts and hair as black as night to shroud them in their despicable ways; she writhes and coos her delight. A figure looms over her, covered in black garb, the slightest glimpse of hair the color of snow falls from the foreboding hood to hide the peek of the demoness' chest just as the unknown offender pulls back her helpless kimono tearing the seams with impatience. Drifting down to her creamy exposed flesh the figure's face completely hidden as it tantalizes her body. She hisses between her teeth that language unknown to humans while arching and offering her bountiful chest though the rest of her seems bound by bonds not visible to a mortal eye. Her wrists pull, struggling to raise form the grassy ground, falling limp as the figure shifts again, its voice comes from beneath the hood like a purr, a masculine voice expressing dominance of the great demoness.

She cackles in a malicious tone and yet not an unaffectionate one. The couples intimate endeavors are quickly drawn to a close as the red eyes of the demoness jerk about, suddenly yanking upward as she senses a force approaching. This time the jerk on her wrists exposed the culprit that held her hostage as a white, iridescent wave of pale green magic was outlined against her skin, flaring up in a means to do its task and keep her down. However the male seemed to sense her distress, sliding over her like a serpent his hands briefly waved over her wrists and like that the pure binding vanished, releasing the demoness.

"A friend of yours, Seyerna?" The male's voice was rich and deep, so very sexy.

Seyerna narrowed her blind eyes seductively, "A new one I suppose; I don't seem to recognize this one." The male seemed to contemplate her words a moment before leaning down and offering her a kiss among lovers. The affection and adoration undeniable as his hand crept from the hidden abyss of his black robes to squeeze her shoulders and stroke her hair before reluctantly releasing her and disappearing into the night.

Seyerna barely raised her kimono to cover her chest when from the opposing side of the small clearing another figure formed, seeming to float as if it had no feet, just drifted over the earth towards her, stopping feet from her. The white pelt of the baboon was familiar to Seyerna, she'd seen it a number of times flashing through Kagome's mind, but she'd never delved deep enough into the sanctity of the human girl's mind to learn the significance behind it. Now she would learn firsthand.

"Why do you bother me?" Seyerna spoke first, breaking the silence that had strung a web between them. Her eyes narrow faking sight for the unknown character.

She dances across his mind but his thoughts were cloudy, she barely managed to register his words: "Merely a curious friend…." His scent was not unfamiliar either; again she was reminded of a scent she'd seen on Kagome however lingering it may have been. Trying to place the pieces together she knew this figure was not on friendly terms with Kagome and that was enough to cause the next course of action. Poking and prodding at the strangers mind, digging for more, but as she thought she came close another figure stepped from the darkness distracting her from her endeavors. Seyerna was accustomed to breaking into a stranger's mind, but this one made her skin crawl.

The new figure was a woman, wielding a fan; this girl's mind was not as her companion in the baboon pelt, her thoughts drifting around her, such anger bottled up in this one. She was constantly thinking of "her heart." More pieces to the puzzle but none that helped her discover the identity of these strangers whom interrupted such an intimate moment.

Since Seyerna had not broken the literal silence the baboon spoke again. "I bring you a peace offering…." Seyerna instantly recognized the flare of a shard from the shikon jewel, it was comical that the stranger would use her own soul fragment as a peace offering; Seyerna did not divulge this information though.

Without reaching for the shard, merely letting the male's hand hang in the air, she answered with her own question, "And what, pray tell, do you need an ally like me for?"

She could feel the newcomers power tickle across her skin, trying to intimidate her, she supposed, but it did not entice her into exposing her own, instead she kept it locked away, waiting patiently for an answer, never faulting in her fearless and indifferent composition. Impatient the male tossed the shard to her where it landed by her feet, Seyerna still sitting on the ground as if the male were not even worthy of her standing nor did she bother to move to pick up the shard. She knew a lot about the mind, one hand to when one could read a person's mind, she understood the psychology behind remaining seated even if the words for it did not yet exist.

"I'm sure you'll quickly see we have a similar task. I know you've been training the priestess, Kagome. She's a lovely woman, it's too bad the men in her life do not appreciate her, neither of the brothers seems to show any more respect to her than her being an object for their own personal means. InuYasha views her as a shard detector and Sesshoumaru sees her as no more than a sex toy." Seyerna frowned at that, but quickly regained her indifferent façade, he might be right but it wasn't any of her business what Kagome decided to do. "I admit, I have a certain… adoration for the young priestess. I would hate to see her come to harm under the care of men who do not care for her. You understand, I'm sure, the evil things men can do to women when they are shrouded under the illusions of love."

Seyerna hissed, "Get lost!" She finally broke, and the moment the pair disappeared into the forest she regretted her outburst, so unlike her, of course, it was also rather abnormal for someone to turn her own psychological tactics against her. She was the mind reader, she was the one who got under peoples' skin, but as she sat here alone she had to rub her own arms, disturbed that this strange male spoke so much of Kagome and made such terrible suggestions at her own past that were far too close to the truth for her comfort.

Reluctantly she reached across the forest floor and picked up the shard, it was already black but in her clutches it seemed to become even darker; however, there was a very definitive difference: Seyerna's darkness didn't make ones' skin crawl with the evil intentions that lied within. The subtle differences did not go unnoticed to the demoness.


	20. Chapter 20

(Wow, humm I just noiced that FF doesn't use my dashes for the change in POV, so I might type it in the future ones, but ah, no ones complained so it must not be to terrible.)

This was only the second time he'd actually walked out of the room leaving me unsatisfied and my body felt like fire. He didn't even have the kindness of heart to untie me, psht, kindness of heart, what kindness? He was a jerk and I wanted him to come back and violate me more.

Regardless of the fact he'd left me feeling like a wanton whore I still wanted more. Panting, I managed to wiggle myself into a kneeling position. By sheer fluke the fur blanket had wedged up between my legs and so lightly brushed my lips, I moaned. Oh it was heavenly. Before I registered fully what I was doing I was slowly, rhythmically grinding against the blanket, but it wasn't enough, wasn't hard enough, not enough pressure, oh I don't know, I just knew I wanted more.

Shifting again I managed to maneuver myself so my legs were on either side of one of the posts and the fur blanket between my soaking wet woman parts and the tall post. I pressed my forehead to the wood post as I rolled my hips against it. I whimpered from the sensation that shot through me at the simple action. I could hear myself, so pitiful and yet my own sounds just excited me more. Closing my eyes I envisioned Sesshoumaru behind me, his hand between my thighs, holding them spread and teasing me with those feather light touches. It had been so long I'd almost forgotten how he sets my body aflame.

I heard myself yelp followed by a moan as I hit a ridge in the post, the fur giving me just the right amount of cushion so the hard wood didn't hurt me. My breasts felt tight and in desperate need of a good squeak but without my own hands free I merely added it to my fantasy of Sesshoumaru's twisted sexual kinks, how he denies and torments me. The thoughts were driving me mad, pushing me grind faster, harder and the next thing I knew I screamed, but something covered my mouth muffling the passion filled sound.

After several moments trying to catch my breath, the hand – I'd realized what it was – had moved away. With a few blinks I looked up, cradled against Sesshoumaru's body, his gold eyes staring down at me with mischief though his face gave away nothing. I smiled, "Will you punish me, Sess?" His lip twitched the slightest, the beginning of a smile, but he held back, barely exposing one fang with the action.

Still panting and my woman parts feeling like jello; Sesshoumaru untied his sash from my wrists and pulled me into his lap. We sat in silence for a long time; we'd shifted several times and finally found a position laying side by side, his body nearly enveloped mine. I pulled open his kimono and nuzzled his bare chest, the muscles flexing and twitching involuntarily; it should be a crime to be as sexy as him and be so evil….

Then he broke the silence with a horror question: "Seyerna knows something of the Eastern Lord's death. I know you've been with her a great deal lately; do you know anything, Kagome?" He used my name and that made it ten times worse. I didn't know how to hide my scent and Seyerna was right if I even attempted it now it would be far too suspicious. Not that it mattered, even if I could hide my scent I think I'd give myself away just by being so nervous, I could already feel my throat constricting, knowing I'd stutter. "Kagome…" And the way he said my name with a growl made it a threat only tightening my throat further. I bowed my head and nuzzled his chest, trying to disappear. He grabbed my chin roughly and forced me to look up.

"Please…." I whispered. He snarled at me and then his hand was in my hair, pulling and making me tilt my head back at a painful angle. "Please Sesshoumaru, don't ask me this, anything but this. What do I have to do? What will it take? Please, I'm begging you…." He shoved me away and I barely managed to keep from falling off the other side.

"I knew she knew something and I let the bitch walk away. You will tell me, Kagome." His eyes weren't red but in my mind they might as well have been with all the anger he directed at me.

I could feel tears in my own eyes and sure enough my voice stuttered and shook as I tried to speak, "Sesshoumaru, please, I'll do whatever you want, anything. Just please, don't make me. I can't…. She's my friend. Sesshoumaru..." I squinted my eyes as I prepared to fight him; "I won't betray her, but I will offer you all I have if you'll just let this go." What would he do to me if I didn't tell him? I shivered at the thought, but for the moment he turned and stormed back out of the room. I crumbled onto the bed and held myself.

I'm unsure of the time that passed but at some point Naomi poked her head in and saw me crying on the bed. She crossed the room in no time at all and curled up behind me to hug me as tight as her petite body could; whispering I don't know what to me: reassurance, I suppose.

"Don't be sad, Kagome, you should be happy, knowing you're the only one Lord Sesshoumaru wants." I didn't know what she was talking about and at the moment I didn't care, but she persisted with her train of thoughts: "You know all those girls he used to have here? He doesn't go to them; he hasn't since that one time we walked in on them. What's even better is he got rid of them!" Confused I looked at her, "Yup, you heard right, he let them go, well not let them go, but gave them homes in outlying villages." I didn't know what to say, he only wanted me? The thought made a flutter tickle my heart, but I couldn't stop thinking about Seyerna, about Caim. What was I supposed to do? Again I felt tears on my face and Naomi's face darkened as well, realizing she couldn't appease my heart even with this new knowledge. She wiped my tears and continued to hold me, but didn't ask me what was wrong. I couldn't tell her anyway, especially since it was her Caim that was in danger.

The night was quiet, Sesshoumaru didn't return to me, Naomi went to do her chores and when the moon was high in the sky she slipped back into Sesshoumaru's chambers and crawled in next to me. Meekly I asked her why she was here.

"Lord Sesshoumaru isn't in the palace, I don't know where he went, but I wanted to see you, Kagome. I missed you." She hugged me and I hugged her back for all my worth. I missed her too. Knowing she was all alone here made my heart ache and I felt terrible; I knew what had happened to her Caim and yet I couldn't tell her. I squeezed her and cried more. We spent the night locked in our embrace. Exhausted as I was I barely slept, tossing and turning, only when Naomi finally grabbed me and held me against her with all the strength in her little arms did I finally sleep.

I woke up still exhausted to Sesshoumaru snarling, howling at Naomi to get out. When Naomi didn't move fast enough he grabbed the petite girl by all her flaming red hair and all but threw her out. I screamed and jumped up and bolted after her, only to be grabbed around the waist and thrown back on the bed. "I told you, Kagome, you're going to tell me and this is your last chance."

The breath had been knocked out of me, not from being thrown on the bed but from his arm coming in contact with my waist when I'd tried to hurl myself out the door. Now I was gasping to suck air back in, Sesshoumaru in all his patience – not that I was going to tell him anyway – crossed the room in two strides and grabbed my forearm, wasting no time in dragging me out of the room and down the hall stark naked. Somehow being naked was the least of my problems at this moment. I'd never seen Sesshoumaru this angry, why did he care about the other Lord? Demons died all the time, usually from other demons, why did killing a demon Lord mean so much!

We went down several flights of stairs, past dozens of servants but they seemed to look in horror more than that wicked laughter they had the last time he'd paraded me around naked, but this wasn't the same, this time he was furious. We reached a huge black door, he had to use a key to unlock it and once he pulled me inside, he relocked it from the inside. We continued down the stairs and as we breached the bottom floor I realized this was where it all began. The first time he'd ever tied me up and had his way with me was here. I blushed, but didn't get a chance to reminisce before he dragged me further along, deeper into the dungeons.

Each cell was enclosed via stone walls, no bars for this dungeon, but then again, I suppose you need something stronger than bars to keep a demon locked up. I was desperately trying not to panic, Sesshoumaru wouldn't hurt me, all he'd ever done was torment me beyond recognition, except for that one time he smacked me, but it's not like he even used his full strength. I continued to talk reason to myself but it wasn't calming my heart. He unlocked a door that seemed random among the dozen or so cell doors, shoving me in and following, shutting the door behind us.

The room was black and it would take a while before my eyes adjusted. "Kagome, I hate repeating myself, but I will offer you this last chance: what do you know of Lord Raidon's murder?" His voice was low and felt like ice creeping up my back.

Swallowing hard I managed to mutter a response, another plea; "I can't tell you…."

"So be it." I could barely make out his outline in the darkness but when his hand touched me it was soft not demanding or pulling or even tight enough to leave a mark. Whatever he was about to do to me, he was reluctant to do it. Turning me so my back was to his chest he held me tightly, the darkness still hadn't gone from my eyes. He hugged me for what seemed like forever, my heart had almost relaxed but then his hands took mine and pulled them over my head binding them in what I was sure were metal shackles from the cold, hard texture.

I closed my eyes; there was nothing to see here anyway and instead felt my power, his power and our auras. I watched his usually bright blue aura melt in agony. It broke my heart but what could I do? It scared me to see his aura react like that, what was about to happen?

In the next moment I knew when I could hear the crackling of his whip and my eyes flung open, the whip was practically glow in the dark. I whimpered, "Sess…" I mumbled, suddenly terrified of what he could do to me. "You don't want to do this…." And I was confident in my words after seeing his aura tremble; the feelings in his heart were undeniable.

Silence spread between us and the cold room seemed to scream before he broke it, "You've left me no choice." I tried to look over my shoulder but there was nothing to see in the darkness, his whip wasn't bright enough to light up the room, only his leg by where it laid coiled on the ground.

And then it cracked, lashing across my back like acid, I barely muffled the scream by biting my lip. I'd known Seyerna for maybe a week and yet I would endure this for her because of reasons unknown to me I wanted to protect her and I knew if something happened to her son she's break. She's already wounded, how would losing one's son affect an already tattered spirit.

Again his whip lashed across my back and my legs shook beneath me, threatening to give out. Tears were in my eyes, but there was nothing to see, nothing to say. I cried softly and between my disjointed sobs I heard his breathing, broken and ragged as he raised his whip and struck me again.

"How dare you…." I whispered, proud at the level of confidence that was laced into the sobs. "I trusted you, you know…. And yet, you would make me choose a friend or you…." I heard Sesshoumaru's voice catch and felt his aura seemed to go stagnant, not moving. Then it went pitch black again as his whip vanished. His arms wrapped around my waist and his kissed the back of my neck.

"Seyerna chose her fate. I do not punish you for protecting her, but for defying me." His hands stroked my stomach and between my breasts but the action didn't seem intentionally sexual, instead it was my own body that was tingling from the pain in my back, the welts I knew were there, betraying me and making me want to moan at the touch of his hands stroking me.

"They are two in the same…." I managed a response, but he growled at me, however the sound didn't come from his heart, it was weak.

His hand reached between my legs and at that moment I did moan as his fingers rubbed hard enough to spread my lips and stroke my clit. I shivered and tried not to want it, tried not to make a sound, but I knew my own labored breathing was giving me away.

"You will tell me, and I will use whatever means possible to find out." Then I did look back and he kissed my cheek.

"Just tell me one thing…" I didn't know his expression but I took the silence as incentive to continue; "What difference does it make? Demons kill each other every day…."

Again I was met with silence, then a deep breath; "Demons like to pretend there is a government in place. If Seyerna is involved in this somehow she can be killed for not speaking up should she ever get caught. What's more, merely by knowing, Kagome, your life is in danger. Surely, Seyerna has told you that demons can smell lies." I nodded; still I didn't see how any of this directly affected him. He did not disappoint me, "If they were to discover that you - having been with me - knew something and I didn't know, being that I am a Lord, the demon council will not just ruin me, they will kill me and any that follow me and dare oppose them. They will destroy the western domain and all that that entitles." I remained silent, I understood, I did, but it was too abstract I suppose; the concept of an entire nation being destroyed versus one mother's son. It was strange but I still wouldn't tell him.

He sighed and it may have been the first legitimate sigh I've ever heard from him. He backed up and his whip formed again, suddenly eager for the pain of the next strike, if not just to defy him, then to make him crumble knowing he didn't want to actually hurt me. I would win this one.

The forth strike came and I arched away from it, but the reaction my body offered was unexpected, already tingling and the remembrance of his fingers dancing between my thighs sent a shiver and a thrill through me. He struck me again before the wave of desire had fully worn off, the strike reigniting my passion. I gnawed my lip till I tasted blood, struggling not to moan or cry out, which was more likely I wasn't sure, but neither did I want to admit too.

At seven I lost count, my mind was a haze and my back felt like fire. The next strike never came, the glow from his whip disappeared and after several long moments I heard the heavy door open and then slam shut. I resisted a grin at my victory; of course, I'd hurt tomorrow, but right now I wanted something else, something wicked and delicious.

Several minutes past in silence before the door was pulled open so slowly I'd grown impatient by the time Naomi got in. She gasped and instantly went to my bindings. "Kagome! Oh what could you have possibly done to upset him like this!" She caught me from falling but my weight just pulled her down and we both ended up on the floor. "Come on, I have to get you upstairs so I can tend to these." She didn't touch it but I could feel her hand hovering over one of the welts, she felt cold in comparison to the heat radiating from them.

She unfolded a kimono that had already been mostly unfolded from being thrown across the room after her initial shock at seeing me; I wondered what I must look like. However the moment the fabric touched my back I hissed and she pulled it away. "I'll walk without it," even knowing that meant I'd be walking naked I couldn't bring myself to care as the pain from my beating really started to weigh down on me.

I walked back to Sesshoumaru's chambers naked, though I'd tied the kimono around my waist to at least cover that part of me. The servants did not look at me in desire, or disgust, some of them looked almost proud, others seemed to chuckle. I didn't let them bother me, too many other thoughts were racing through my mind.

Naomi was crying but I felt a sense of pride, if Sesshoumaru wanted to fight, I would not be controlled by desire or pain. I would protect my friends at all costs. She laid cold rags across my back and I couldn't resist the groan, it felt delightful. However, as I lay under Naomi's watchful eye I realized something obvious, though it was new to me still: I'd healed my own ribs, I could surely heal these measly welts! Why suffer? Sesshoumaru would be the fool this time, not me.

I asked Naomi to remain completely silent and should Sesshoumaru come in to distract him as long as she could as I knew this task could take hours. She obeyed and managed to keep her curiosities quiet.

Slowly I focused my power, sucking it out of its hole, only as I attempted this did I realize how much more difficult it was to focus through the haze of pain. Strange, the ribs had been more painful, but only really when I moved too much, that and I was sure Seyerna had done something to lessen the pain. Without her this would be a bit trickier. I could no longer use my affection for Sesshoumaru as a means to relax myself I was too pissed off at him I realized. So I thought of my mother, that poor woman, I hadn't seen her in weeks, she must be worried sick, but I flushed the thought and instead focused on my childhood: happiness, carefree, all the joys in the world packaged in one smiling face. Then I thought of Rin's toothy smile and grinned myself, then to Shippo; children were amazing, so happy all the time, I miss being a child when everything was so simple.

Releasing the tension from my body I could feel myself rising above, my power twisting around me like a white ocean. I coddled the great expanse of power, coaxing it to wrap around me like a blanket. Knowing such activities would quickly tire me I moved on and took a small portion of my power and repeated what I knew healing magic to look like. Fluffing up the magic I laid it across my back, watching as I saw it sink into my skin, how it cooled the aching burns, rubbing the welts as if fingers of ice were cooling them, massaging them out of my skin. I purred, but something wasn't right, something was distracting me, I couldn't resist: I opened my eyes.

Sesshoumaru was staring down at me, Naomi was on the floor across the way and it was black outside. His eyes were molten amber, curiosity was in his aura, amazement as well I realized. Still partly transcended his aura seemed so much more tangible in this magical vision.

I shifted to look at Naomi directly, "Did he hurt you?" Mutely she shook her head no and then I looked back to him. "What will you do to me now, my Lord? Shall you whip me further? Or maybe you've something more vicious in mind?" Even I could hear the malicious tone to my voice, words that sounded like they'd be more appropriate coming from Seyerna's mouth than mine, but my heart mimicked it. I was furious at him.

Sesshoumaru didn't respond, just turned and walked out. Good, cause I was done being the obedient girl.


	21. Chapter 21

Naomi brought me food not long after Sesshoumaru stormed off. She chattered mindlessly about my power about the light show I'd apparently made. I wondered if I could prevent that, but for now I had to focus, what next would Sesshoumaru do to me? Would he continue along this path of pain? I didn't think so, but I couldn't be certain. Maybe he'd use more base sexual means, knowing how he could melt me with those heavenly hands that seemed slightly more intimidating than if he cut off my fingers. I made fists, I didn't want to lose limbs, not that I believed he would, just a random thought.

Vaguely I wondered what Seyerna was doing. Once she'd told me she had to make sure her son was safe, but what could she do to protect him? Did she have the connections to make this all just go away? With the nature of the way Seyerna was it wouldn't surprise me, but in the same breath I knew she was nothing like other demons and it was just as likely they would never stand with her or be an ally of any kind.

How many demons made up this "demon council" did they do anything for threats like Naraku? Did they even care? Seemed like they only cared about the death of a demon lord since this is the first I've heard of them. InuYasha's never mentioned them.

Naomi bid me farewell as her other chores demanded her attention; I didn't want her to get in trouble and end up in a situation like mine so I urged her to leave. Sitting alone I envisioned Naomi and Caim together, Caim would be at least a foot and a half taller than little Naomi, yet it would be Naomi that would stand out with her flaming red hair; I was sure, if Caim was even remotely similar to Seyerna, that Naomi and Caim would make an adorable couple. Did her heart yearn for the demon? I didn't know what mine wanted at the moment. I was so torn.

Sesshoumaru would come back, and as sure as I knew the sky was blue I knew we weren't done this fight, he'd try again. How was I to win this? Physically fighting him would be a waste of time, struggling would make me look like a fool. I lucked out when he flogged me it was easy to act superior, in control, knowing he didn't want to hurt me and then that it would give me such feelings! I rubbed my legs together at the stinging reminder. I would have to be calm, to somehow not show emotion, not to let him win. I didn't know if I could do it, could I keep from moaning when he decides he's ganna tie me up and not let me orgasm for hours on end and yet offers constant stimulation. I grumbled, turning myself on with my own thoughts. I wasn't confident I could, but I'd have to find a way. Seyerna needed me to. If he offered pain again, maybe I could, assuming he doesn't suddenly become a hard ass and doesn't care that he's hurting me.

I sighed and stretched out in the big bed, fantasizing about all the memories in this bed, all the sexy, kinky memories this room and his smell brought forth. I needed to be strong, to overcome my desire and be the master of my body just like I was of my power.

Sleeping came easier than I'd have thought, I suppose due to my little victory. My dreams were wild, one moment I was dreaming of loving Sesshoumaru and him loving me, then I'd dream of Seyerna's son being hanged and Seyerna screaming in horror being held back by demons so she had to watch her son's death. I almost wish I had never seen Caim, maybe I wouldn't have been able to create such vivid dreams that woke me up in the middle of the night.

Sesshoumaru was beside me; his eyes closed, his arm over my hip. I cuddled into him, he was warm and I wanted to stay like this, in this bliss, but come morning I knew it would be broken. I couldn't help but think of the worst possible things he could do to me to make me cave in and tell him. I drifted back into sleep and this time I did not dream.

I woke up with a moan, hmm, something felt wonderful. My eyes fluttered open and Sesshoumaru was over top of me, rubbing against me, both of us naked. This was a change I rather liked. Would he take me now? I could feel him so close, pushing against my lips and teasingly pulling away. I cooed to him and he kissed my mouth.

"Tell me… Kagome….?" My name rolled off of his lips like liquid ambrosia. Moaning into his mouth I couldn't remember what he wanted to know. His hand was gentle yet rough, squeezing and teasing my breast.

"That feels wonderful…." I purred to him and he grinded against me again, his member was so hard against me, exactly what my body had been craving for so long.

He kissed down my cheek and nibbled and licked my ear while slowly grinding against me, not in me, to my dismay, but still delightful. "What does she know?" He questioned again in a voice that was filled with sin. "Tell me what Seyerna knows…."

I smiled, Seyerna knew a lot of things, of course at that moment I remembered through my cloudy mind what he wanted but I managed not to submit. I had to take a moment to clear my mind, to remember my purpose to remember my friend and ally, Seyerna, and why I couldn't tell Sesshoumaru.

I kissed and licked Sesshoumaru's neck while he teased my ear, "Seyerna knows…." I began, barely holding back a grin; "that the sky is blue…."

Sesshoumaru growled and shoved back, I laughed. He kneeled over me growling and snarling like a ferocious beast but for some reason I did not fear. I raised onto my elbows to meet him eye to eye, the red tint in his eyes was unmistakable, still I did not back down; "I am loyal and faithful to my friends to the grave… as I would be to you." His eyes cleared at those words and he pushed off of me.

"I will not quit." He spoke matter-of-fact.

"Even on death's row I will not tell you. So let's quit this endeavor now and take me on my offer, Sesshoumaru? I'll be your willing slave if you'll but quit this." I tried to persuade him and I watched his shoulders sag a quarter of an inch.

He pushed me down and took each wrist, binding it to the corresponding bed posts. I did not struggle, nor did I fight him, there would be no point, I would lose. "You will tell me Kagome, eventually, you will bend to my will." I scoffed and laid my head back, mentally preparing myself for whatever he'd do to me next.

His thumb brushed over my already wet slit, I had to fight not to moan or shiver from the touch, hoping he didn't realize my toes were already starting to curl just from him looking at me naked. Slowly he pushed his finger into me, I pushed my head back, using all my strength not to respond, this wasn't going to work, I couldn't be completely without response to him. He started kissing my stomach and I knew he saw how my belly shuttered from the touch of his lips on me.

He quit only to blindfold me before returning to running his hands all over my body, each part of me being explored by his curious fingers. It was maddening; still I managed to remain lifeless under him. The next action made me groan and try to sink into the bed, it was piercing hot but only for a moment, whatever it was it dropped just atop my left breast and it felt like it melted the skin from the heat. A second drop made me cry out in the slight pain it caused, it took me a moment but I registered the hot to quickly cool and stiff spots as being drops of wax. Another one came on my other breast, I groaned. Quickly I was mentally chanting to myself to stop, to be in control, but then another drop hit low on my stomach and I moaned, it was impossible, not knowing where another drop would land. One landed directly on top of my nipple and I arched and howled from it, it hurt, no doubt, but it felt amazing at the same time. Damn him to hell.

Another for the other nipple and I could feel tears wetting the blindfold, but I knew other parts of me were far wetter. "St-stooop…" I whimpered.

"I don't ask for a lot, Kagome, just tell me what I want to know." I turned my head away and whined as another drop hit low on my hip. Pulling on the bonds was fruitless but I couldn't resist, struggling weakly and desperately trying to raise my hips to receive his attention, hopefully not from the wax.

He started kissing my hips and I moaned as each kiss another drop of wax would hit me in a new location. My legs trembled trying to squeeze my thighs together. There was too much of him; a hand met my lower lips, spreading the helpless flesh and touching my clit, rubbing gently. I cried softly from the cruel means of torture, hating and loving every minute of it. Another drop of wax his just above my pubic just as he shoved a finger into me. I gnawed my lip, feeling my orgasm just beyond my reach.

He wasted no time in pumping his finger in and out of me; I was on fire with desire for this cruel demon. Several more drops of wax hit my thighs and I was on the edge, then he stopped and I screamed. I knew better, I did, but I was at a loss as to how I was to win something like this.

"Just tell me and I'll take you to the stars, Kagome…." I whined and shook my head, I couldn't and I wouldn't. "Very well…." Still blindfolded, I was left waiting for several long moments before something I wish I didn't recognize. It was that little green ball from day one, slowly pushed up inside of me and instantly I could feel it's effects as on slender tendril slipped out of me to flick back and forth over my clit, another similar tendril found my g-spot and rubbed and grinded against it. I cried and moaned, unable to fight or escape.

"Please don't do this…." I cried to him, arching and grinding into the air. He pushed my hips down and his tongue stroked my clit with the evil ball of infinite pleasures.

"I will not quit, Kagome." He repeated to me. His weight moved from the bed and I think I heard a door open but I felt like I was going deaf. The little tendrils from the ball were so easily holding me at my peak, two more stretched from the ball to keep my nether lips spread while the other kept rubbing and flicking my clit. I would go mad at this rate.

His weight returned to the bed and a cold cloth touched my chest, I'm assuming to wipe away the wax. He made a point of squeezing my breasts and rubbing my thighs more than was necessary. The cloth went away and he lay beside me, dancing his fingers over my stomach. "Please…." I whimpered and he remained silent, kissing my shoulder and cheek.

"It'll stop when you tell me what I want to know…." All went silent except for the screaming in my head, the mind numbing pleasure that consumed my thought process. I couldn't win this….

I've no idea how much time passed but we laid like this for what feel like forever, my body constantly screaming at me to orgasm but without the means I was helpless to obey my own desires. He moved and shifted so he straddled my face, I knew what he wanted, but if I wasn't to get mine I wasn't going to give him his! When I held my lips sealed tight, he scoffed and pinched my nose. Not fair. I held my breath as long as I could but eventually my lungs made me surrender and I gasped for air. He took that moment to slide his member into my mouth.

I wish it turned me off to have him in my mouth, but somehow it just helped keep me excited, as if I needed help with that green ball in me. He stroked my hair and slid deep into my mouth, while I moaned and whimpered on him. I couldn't resist the urge to suck on him and rub my tongue against him. He purred that delicious sound that shouldn't have sounded as masculine as it did. Slowly he slid himself in and out of my mouth and I tried to rock my hips in sync, it wasn't fair.

He pushed himself all the way into my mouth until I couldn't breathe and almost gagged on him, he held himself like this for the longest time. I feared I might feint from lack of air but he pulled back and let me breath, gasping for air. I'd barely gotten to fully recover before he did it again. I struggled as he refused to pull back, his hand fisted in my hair. I bucked and struggled, still he did not move away. I was already crying, panicking that he'd suffocate me. Then he pulled away and I was left panting, shivering as the ball never quit its endeavors between my legs.

I was going to cave, I couldn't take it, I wanted to orgasm and I didn't want to die by suffocation. I cried out just before he pushed into my throat again and blocked my breathing. I struggled again, unable to resist the urge to fight and buck for all my worth. The tears had just about soaked through my blindfold. I was seeing spots and was sure I wouldn't make it another moment, but he pulled back.

He gave me an extra moment, and then started grinding into my mouth, working me as I suppose he was done tormenting himself in the process of this torture. I was helpless to do anything but lay there and receive him in to my mouth. When he finally orgasm he groaned and pushed deep into my mouth, forcing me to swallow all of his come.

He pulled out and repositioned himself beside me. I lay there, shaking and crying, still aroused through such a cruel method. I could feel the ball shift, pumping me and rubbing around my entrance. Sesshoumaru didn't speak, just went back to gently touching and stroking my body. I couldn't cave, I couldn't quit.

The blindfold was pulled away and I looked at him with frantic, frightened eyes, but I didn't speak, to afraid my words would give away what I was so desperate to keep from him. He held himself so easily beside me, laying on his side his head rested on one hand propped up on his elbow, the other hand stroking over my exposed body. His hand moved up to my face and he covered my mouth and pinched my nose. I begged him with my eyes, but he sealed his hand and held it there while I struggled and cried for air. How could something like this turn me on!

He quit a moment before I thought I'd feint and I was gasping and panting for air. "We can do this all night…" I arched into the ball and tried not to scream my frustration.

"I hate you…." I whispered but I didn't know if I believed the words.

He looked down my body writhing in pleasure in such a possessive look it would have caught me off guard if I wasn't already distracted. His arm snaked over my stomach and he rested his cheek on my breast staring down my body, I suppose watching how my hips thrust and tremble with the actions of the toy.

At some point Sesshoumaru got up, dressed and left the room. I don't think he was gone long, but then I couldn't think any more than a few seconds past my infinite pleasure. He came, a servant following him a tray in her arms, carrying food and tea. He sat down across the room at a small desk where he ate his meal while watching me. The servant lingered a moment before being dismissed.

I don't know when or how it happened but the sun had gone down, the sky was a lavender tone from the fading light, Sesshoumaru was still sitting silently and motionless across the room. Slowly he stood and walked across the room to me; standing beside the bed he reached to me and drifted his hand over my stomach, breasts and finally reached my face, using my chin to turn me so I had to look at him. He stared at me a long moment than let go and walked away, no words were spoken and I hoped my face showed stone cold determination but I was doubtful; between the sweat on my brow and the desperate urge to scream I really, really doubted it.

At the door he stopped a moment and looked back at me, "Sleep well, Kagome, for tomorrow we begin anew." His voice was almost a purr and when the door closed I screamed and thrashed for all my worth, until my body felt like it would break from the constant yanking on the bindings. My head was swimming and I was ready to bite my own tongue off if it would distract me from the monster between my thighs!

Minutes passed, or less, or maybe more, I don't know, I don't fucking care at this point, I was going to kill him. Then the door opened and Naomi's vibrant red hair flashed by, looking over at me she blushed but came to me anyway. I wanted to laugh, but there wasn't anything funny really just the morbid nature of my own desire mixed with my current hatred for a silver haired demon.

Naomi fumbled with my bonds for longer than I'd like, I was ready to scream at her but I managed to resist. It wasn't her fault, I kept chanting. Finally it loosened and I slipped my hand out, but as I went for the toy I realized how limp my arms were, exhausted from fighting for who knows how many hours. It was a struggle just to maneuver my one free arm to my sex. Naomi freed my other arm before I'd even attempted to grab the wicked toy. Using both hands I barely manage to catch it as it fluttered to and fro. I screamed and felt tears of frustration on my face. Finally grabbing one tendril I managed to rip it out and throw it across the room, hitting the ground it coiled back into a ball and rolled into one wall, lifeless, innocent of the hell it had just put me through.

I collapsed back onto the bed. Naomi had successfully untied my ankles and had crawled to lay beside me, covering me with a sheet though I couldn't care less about modesty, at this point I'd forgotten why anyone cared about modesty. I was grateful for the silence now that my head was screaming and my body was finally getting a chance to cool down, strange that after all that I didn't struggle for an orgasm; it seemed almost like extended torture to attempt that now, or perhaps I just wasn't confident I could give myself one after being sustained without one for so long.

I curled into Naomi; she placed her arms around me and held me tight. I sat in limbo for a long moment until I felt more wetness on my face, touching my cheeks I realized I was crying. I squeezed Naomi tighter, I felt betrayed, that's what this feeling was, betrayal, after what Sesshoumaru had done to me, knowing he'd keep doing it unless I told him what he wanted to know.

She whispered sweet nothings to me, trying to calm me but I couldn't calm, to mortified at what would come tomorrow. After about an hour of crying, I finally told myself to buck up and Naomi helped me into the bathroom, my legs still felt weak. I dropped into the warm water and forced myself to think of something else, anything else!

Naomi washed my sweat soaked hair, humming to me, something occurred to me at that moment and I leaned back and looked at her, she stared back curious at me. "Sing for me?" I asked softly, she blushed prettily.

"I've only ever sung for Caim…." She admitted and I knew at that moment if she did sing, it would be beautiful, maybe Naomi was more special than what she let on.

I didn't press the issue but she did hum louder and every now and then I'd get the end of a word; she was humming a song she knew, and it calmed me, relaxed me, and made me forget all of these horrors. It was magical to say the least, whatever she was doing to me.

She slid into the water with me and started washing my limbs, I told her it wasn't necessary but she insisted I needed all the help I could get if I was to survive another day. I didn't want to admit I agreed with her, yet doubted I'd succeed in surviving another day of Sesshoumaru's personal brand of torture.

Naomi acted as my personal maidservant dressing me in a silk white kimono and drying my hair as best she could before braiding it. I begged her not to leave me tonight and I knew it was selfish, there was no tell what Sesshoumaru would do to her if she didn't do her duty, but she surrendered and stayed with me, curling into the huge bed with me. We'd ripped off all the blankets because they smelled of sweat and sex and Naomi brought us fresh sheets together we clung together and offered each other the warmth we needed.

It occurred to me as I lay so intimately with Naomi that I'd never had a relationship like this before, Sango was sisterly, yes, but not like this. If I'd been raped Sango would hold me and care for me but she wouldn't understand. She never did really, we were too different, but Naomi felt like a piece of me as she lay cradled against my bosom, a sister in an otherworldly sense. What parts of me felt empty she completed and I imagine I did the same for her. I closed my eyes and wiggled as close to her as our flesh would allow us, listening to her heart beat. Falling even deeper into this mellow state; I watched her aura, watched mine, and how they intermingled in such a majestic way. Where my aura was a pale blue, her's was a soft red almost pink color, together they made a gentle lavender, it was strange, I didn't think that was normal for auras. Any other time I'd watched auras they'd pushed against each other, never meshed together like ours seemed to do, what was that?

Exhaust demanded I stop thinking and since I didn't have the answers to my questions I willed the thoughts away. Still I lay awake, and then Naomi started to sing, ever so softly, her voice like liquid silk sliding across me. I was amazed at the effects her voice had. In moments I was asleep, in my dreams I dreamt of creatures I'd never seen before, mythical creatures, fairies and nymphs all of them cuddled around me and offering me peace and serenity in my chaotic life, at least in rest I could be met by this.


	22. Chapter 22

(I'm very sorry guys, there shouldn't have been anything after the AN last chapter, that was a tidbit I originally wrote and then completely changed the chapter. For that much there shouldn't have been an AN either because this story is quite a ways ahead, it's at like chapter 33 now[posted on dokuga] and the AN's were before I wrote the next chapter, or the next ten for that much.)

I opened my eyes and Naomi was still cuddled tightly beside me. The sun was already high in the sky and as I lay here I realized my heart was escalated, pounding faster, already terrified of what would come together. Sesshoumaru did not disappoint me; in mere moments he walked in, casual as ever, and stood at the door staring at the two of us. I hugged Naomi one last time and kissed her forehead before rising and moving to Sesshoumaru, what was I supposed to do anyway? Jump out the window? I sighed and followed him as he turned and walked away, I kept my head bowed, curious as to how I'd managed to keep my kimono for he hadn't ripped it off of me yet. A servant was waiting at the door, she handed me a pair of leather booties, confused I took them and slipped them on and followed Sesshoumaru out of the palace. We walked for almost an hour before he stopped, standing side by side at the top of a cliff. I peeked over the edge out of curiosity and quickly leaned back, the drop was easily ten stories high.

Sesshoumaru sat down, still no words had been spoken, I followed suit and sat angled from him, staring out over the horizon. "Have you met, Tsumi?" Sesshoumaru broke the silence and I found the question extremely odd. I looked at him, but he wasn't looking at me, his eyes trained on the horizon line.

"No," I responded casually, at least the name didn't sound familiar.

"She's the head of my servants, an older eagle demon, a very curious one she is. She's the woman that gave you the boots." Her face flashed behind my eyes, remembering her old motherly appearance, reminding me so much of Kaede. Still he didn't look at me and for the life of me I couldn't figure out where he was going with this. "She was a servant for my father's father. She doesn't seem like a servant, I don't even like using the term in association with her." Confusion had just about stolen all my thoughts away as I struggle to weave logic into this new turn of events. "She helped raise InuYasha and myself." He looked at me then, his eyes were ice cold and hard as rocks, "And she's going to die." I heard myself gasp, what the hell!

"My right hand, and my most trusted general, Kaoru, he has two sons who also serve me. They're all going to die. Kagome you need to understand what kind of power the demon council has. The council consists of all of the Lords, myself being one of them, Lord Makoto is considered the neutral Lord, generally he doesn't get involved in war, he does however, house any sort of meeting and investigates things like Lord Raidon's death. When he finds out who killed Lord Raidon anyone associated with the incident will be held on trial, and demons are not merciful, even the obviously innocent have been tried as guilty. They will most certainly kill me, and when my loyal general, Kaoru rebels they will make him watch as they kill his sons, then kill him.

"'They' being the other Lords, Makoto has the power to demand any and all Lords to offer up their men-at-arms to aid his cause; that is of course when his own personal assassins can't complete the job or when it becomes a more warlike scenario. Surely you understand that demons will not turn away a battle, when confronted they are only too eager because they know Lord Makoto will always win. There is no fighting with the demon council."

I sat in deafened silence, confused, terrified and lost. It would cost everything if Caim was caught, when he was caught, according to Sesshoumaru. He seemed to think there was no way to get away with it. I held myself tightly, trying to will myself to find a solution but there wasn't one at hand. I either betray Seyerna, put her son and likely her to death, or I don't and put Sesshoumaru and his follows to death.

Sesshoumaru growled and I realized I'd been shaking my head, maybe Seyerna has a plan, I'd wanted to say, but the next moment we were stand, he was dragging me by my arm forcing me to the edge of the cliff. He held me just at the edge, my feet slipping, my heart pounding as I couldn't resist looking down. I clutched his sleeve, my brain gone to mush. Gently he ran his hand between my shoulder blades but he might as well have pushed me for I felt like I was falling forward, then his hand was at my waist keeping me from falling to my death. His lips were against my ear, whispering softly, "How can you ask me to forsake my people for that wretched demoness?" I wasn't asking that, I was just asking for time, but the words never came, as he gave me another gentle push and I screamed, only to be caught around the waist again.

Panting I clawed at his arm and clothes, terror stealing my mental functions. My hands shaking, he rubbed my arms and whispered over and over that he'd stop all this ridiculous punishment if I'd just give him what he wanted. He promised me gold and stars, swore to me he'd make me feel pleasure like nothing before. Even if I'd wanted to give in I couldn't seem to form coherent sentences, even my attempt at 'please' came out as: "Pulazee…."

We stood in extended silence. His aura felt foreboding and the anger in it was unmistakable. Still beneath the raging anger, even though his aura seemed to dart and spike like lightning in all direction, beneath it was that sense of melting, that pain that he wasn't enjoying this anymore than I. Somehow I doubted he was as torn on this topic as I was. The silence counted on, screaming between us, or maybe that was the wind. At this altitude my ears felt like they needed to pop but the pressure wasn't quite enough. I'd finally caught my breath, clutching Sesshoumaru's sleeves, though he wouldn't allow me to turn towards him, kept me facing over the ominous cliff my heart still racing.

Another gentle push, but this time no arm to catch me and I went falling off the cliff, screaming as tears slipped from my face. The wind physically painful on my eyes and yet I couldn't look away from the approaching ground. My heart was so loud it had deafened me, the screaming wind made no sound, or I couldn't hear it anyway. My head swollen with blood, adrenaline and fear like never before. There were no thoughts, just the ground, closer, closer, closer still.

Only when I was feet from impact it appeared did I shut my eyes, preparing for death. His arms caught me, but I couldn't remember who he was. My entire body was shaking, I couldn't make my hands and arms work well enough to grab my rescuer. Looking at him was pointless, I couldn't make sense of anything around me, the face was a blur between the tears and my own rattled brain. My feet were on the hard ground, familiar and yet alien to me, it didn't matter; I crumpled to the ground, my shaking body unable to hold me.

He tilted my head up and as my heart stopped trying to pump enough blood into my head to make it pop I slowly started remembering reality. I remembered the face, Sesshoumaru, I didn't get to think anything further than that as white hot anger pierced my heart. I can't fathom what my face must have looked like when I placed my hands on his shoulders, maybe he could see my fury, or maybe it still mimicked the fear that my heart was still trying to calm. At this moment, I knew one thing; I would never trust this demon again. Anger was searing through me like I'd never felt before, "Never again…" I whispered and his eyes slanted slight, confusion, I recognized his emotions, but he'd never know me again. I would not allow it, no one that was supposed to be my ally, my friend even, was allowed to do these hateful things to me.

I thought I'd cared about this demon, thought he cared about me. Tears were making steady streams down my face, I didn't want to cry over this, didn't want to cry in front of him anymore, but these tears were full of frustration and hate. I pushed for all my worth, not against him, but with my power, directing it out of hiding, from my core. I watched my heart, saw it pounding as the white energy flowed through it and through my blood. Anger fueled me to will it through my body, and with an ear piercing scream that held all my anger and all my pain I managed to push it all forward, into my hands and into his body.

Sesshoumaru's pained howl echoed through the forest. I shoved him down and took off, never again, I chanted to myself.

The forest flew by me as I ran as fast as I could, not registering exhaust or the foliage I ran through or the scraps and nicks cause by my frantic flight. I had no idea what kind of damage I did to him, but if he did recover quickly I needed to disguise my scent. A body of water could do that, otherwise all I could do was run; I didn't know how to hide my scent. I wanted to cry again, more frustration, more fruitless endeavors it felt like. Would he catch me again and do even worse things to me? The thought terrified me and I put my head down and ran harder. No, I told myself, I would not be caught; I would not endure anymore of that. Seyerna, where are you when I need you!

Luck was on my side this time as I came across a river, it was moving really fast, but what option did I have? It wasn't quite rapids, and I was a pretty strong swimmer. I didn't see any waterfalls in the distance, as long as I focused on keeping my head above the water and didn't fight the water too much I should be fine. What was I kidding? I wasn't that strong of a swimmer. But as a wave of fear came over me and I had to take a moment to relive my fall I suddenly jumped into the water. Immediately I was taken by the current, it was cold as ice and already my teeth were chattering. It took all my will not to try to swim against the current and just work on holding myself above water. I don't know how far down stream it had taken me but I knew it had taken a good while for me to focus on soft strokes to the shore while still being pulled down stream.

With a bit of a struggle I managed to pull myself onto shore, collapsing beside the water and panting, feeling like my lungs would fall out of me as the cold of the water really got to me, luckily it was spring and relatively warm. I didn't want to take the kimono off as it was all I had but at the same time it was soaking wet, I was cold, and you could see right through it anyway. Still I resisted and wandered into the forest a ways, trying to find a secluded area before stripping and attempt to build a fire with… nothing. I sighed, run from one evil to be faced with another.

I kept walking because I still hadn't figured out how I'd start a fire. After maybe an hour of walking, I was warm from the movement, though my clothes were still wet, they didn't seem quite so see-through anymore. Then I heard it, it was quiet but I heard it: voices! And I started running, not thinking if the people would be good or bad just that it was people! I breached the forest to be faced with two men. They looked up at me and we sat in complete silence for several moments as they eyed me up and down. I tried to resist the urge to shiver, barely succeeding; their eyes feeling like vile goo sticking to my flesh. They stood up slowly and suddenly I'd forgotten why I'd run all the way to them.

"Well, hello, my little forest nymph," He chuckled, it wasn't an entirely malicious chuckle, but it wasn't the greeting I'd wanted. What had I expected? They started towards me and adrenaline pumped into my heart, stupid Kagome, stupid! One of them reached for me and I backed away, not sure what to do now that I put myself in this stupid scenario.

Mean Sesshoumaru, to horny human men. I tried to think of the upside, humans weren't nearly as strong as Sesshoumaru. He grabbed my arm and I all but jumped out of my skin. I shoved at him and he flew across the clearing. Both me and the other male were left staring in amazement, then I realized I could feel my pure power prickling across my palms.

"You bitch!" The other one jumped at me and I jumped away, grabbing the bow and quiver of arrows left against one of their sitting perches. I notched an arrow while twisting around and let it go without being completely certain it would even fly in the vicinity of the other man. It did and to my utter amazement it hit him in the middle of his chest, piercing right through.

I had to stare at his body for a moment, watching him bleed out. All my amazement suddenly shifted to horror as it occurred to me I'd never killed a human before, wounded, attacked, hurt pretty badly, but never killed. My horror was stripped form me as the one I'd shoved away jumped on my back taking me to the ground. I screamed as he started tearing at my clothes, his mistake was rolling me over to pull open my kimono. My hands still felt like white fire and I pushed them against his ugly face and pushed my magic, feeling his face grow hot and then him screaming in pain. The male rolled off of me and cradled his burning face, screaming in terror.

The screaming was making me sick. What I'd just done had torn a part of my innocence from me. I grabbed what I could from their encampment; a short sword, a knife, a pouch, a hide container that had a liquid sloshing about in it and the bow and arrows I'd already picked up. I flew the coop. The entire way my legs wanted to give out and I couldn't will the voice away that kept reminding me I'd killed a man just now.

I don't know how long I ran, but it hadn't helped me out run the voice in my head. What was I supposed to do! Finally I collapsed, exhaustion taking over, no emotion could overcome exhaustion. I cradled the bow to my chest and cried. My body ached all over and my heart felt like it had run a marathon.


	23. Chapter 23

My shoulders felt like fire, my priestess had done this to me. I was ashamed to admit she'd caused so much damage to me, but I couldn't move, she'd completely immobilized me and hours later when I could finally feel again she was long gone, her scent fading. I attempted to follow her scent but I didn't last long. For the first time I felt… exhausted. I hadn't wanted to do those things to Kagome, beating her was far more painful for me, especially after I realized she'd begun to enjoy it, whether she willed herself to do it or not, I was… impressed. Kagome was different, she made me be a better me, forced me to new lengths, to do better when I'd thought I'd done it perfectly.

When she took the beating and all but scoffed at me, I'd been angry, frustrated. The next day I punished her in a way I knew would affect her though I doubted I'd get the information from her. Watching her on the edge of her pleasure had been mind-numbing, so badly I'd wanted to jump on her and take her right there, but she persisted through it. For hours she remained unbegging in her bound position. I'd been sure she'd break and beg for mercy, never did she do thusly. And then, I'd heard of it before, using fear and manipulating a person's fears to control them into listening to you. Of course I wouldn't have actually let her die, she had to know that, but it didn't matter, she'd purified me and it bloody hurt!

As I lay here in my own shame, my failure, telling myself how pitiful this was to be taken out by a human - I did not feel hate. What a strange occurrence; never before has someone bested me and I not seek revenge. No, not this time, this time I thought of her soft body filled with all that flowing white energy and I thought of her beneath me, cooing that nickname she'd given to me.

I felt pride in all that power, I felt proud of her that she'd fought back when I pushed her to the limits, what's more I was bloody proud she'd taken what I had done to her with such calm collectedness, unbending, never faulting or showing weakness. Such power in one luscious, little, human body. It would be mine, Kagome would be mine. No more games, Kagome, it was time.

I woke up to a dark sky, the sun was rising but it was still dim, the colors were beautiful though, rich purples, the horizon creating a gold orange tone. It took me a moment to get my legs and arms to work, I'd managed to stay curled up all night in the same position and now my limbs were asleep.

My stomach growled and I sighed, food, I hadn't eaten all yesterday, and now I was ravaged. Could I hunt my own food? Of course I could, I had a bow and a full quiver of arrows. If I could shoot speeding demons I could shoot a deer or something. Kneeling back down I picked through the items I'd stolen the night before, tentatively I tasted the contents of the hide pouch. Yuck, some sort of alcohol, it would do me no good as far as thirst goes, but perhaps I could use it to kill bacteria if I successfully killed something anyway. The short sword was heavy and for the life of me I couldn't figure out how I'd managed to run with the thing, it seemed like more of a hassle, but right now it was a valuable tool as I had little items as it was. The small knife I'd stolen was a skinning knife. Inside the satchel were several kinds of herbs, only one of them I was actually familiar with, for safety reasons I threw out the ones I didn't know. There was a piece of flint, which I couldn't help but laugh at; I knew how hard it was to make fire. I realized I should have picked up a piece of wood and taken fire from the camp last night but I couldn't blame myself for not, I had been frantic.

I stuffed the herb, and the flint into the satchel; the skinning knife had a thin leather sheathe, but I had no way to holster it to my body so it went in the satchel as well. With the short sword at my hip after two steps I realized it was too awkward for me, even being a short sword I just didn't have the trained stride to manage it and still hunt, so I looped it over my shoulder with the quiver. I had a task in mind, to find food and to find a stream, hopefully a moving stream so I could take water right off the top without having to worry too much about bacteria. I could survive out here; I had lucked out, I had found everything I needed to survive; now I just need to put them to use. Unfortunately as I thought back on it I also thought back on the man bleeding out with my arrow through him. The thought brought tears to my eyes but I managed to will them away.

Hunting was not as easy as I would have liked, I spent hours tracking creatures, that is of course, after the first hour I spent wandering aimlessly with no clue how to find a creature let alone shoot one. It was by sheer luck that a stumbled upon shuffling in a small bush I'd almost over looked. A rabbit. It was comical at that point how easy it was to shoot, when it'd taken me hours to find it.

Everything after that was a downfall. I carried the rabbit by its ears, resisting the urge to cry. I'd killed a man and now this cute little bunny. What if it had babies?

As I wandered I wondered how it all had come to this. I traveled in the woods with InuYasha and the others for years, but never once had I been alone. Even at the worst times I always had my backpack of modern essentials: a lighter to poof me a fire, ramen and other means of foods. I'd never had to hunt for myself before. Now I would have to figure out how to skin this rabbit and cook it without dying from some kind of poison or under cooked meat. I sighed as I came upon the river. It was the same one I'd used to conceal my scent from Sesshoumaru but it was miles downstream, it had forked and split several times so this portion was softly running not those almost rapids I'd managed to cross the day before.

Sitting down I unloaded all the items I had. Reluctantly I got back up and hunted down fire wood, I don't know how long it took me to gather enough but my stomach was hindering me at this point with its need for food. I found some berries along the way, I'd passed quite a few bushes of berries but none I recognized this one I was familiar with from Kaede. I filled my satchel with as many berries as I could; checking each one to make sure it was ripe for eating. The ripened ones could cause stomach aches.

With my pile of wood sitting by the water I glared at it a long moment, wiling it to poof into flames, which never happened. After a long groan and a moment of woe-is-me I kneeled down and began digging a ditch, it would do me no good for the fire to light the grass and burn down the forest, though it might guarantee me dinner, assuming I survived the fire. I laughed at my own morbid joke.

My stomach was reminding me every 66 seconds that it was hungry, I counted. After building the wood into a teepee I worked at shaving off dried bits of the wood for tinder. I wasn't all certain how to do this but I knew I need sparks. Fluffing up the tinder I placed it close to my wooden teepee and stared at it. Every step took another piece of my will, each step I grew closer to success but at the same time I grew closer to that which might break me - actually striking flames. I pulled the short sword out of its sheathe and let the hilt rest on my shoulder, digging the tip into the ground. I used the little leather sheathe for the skinning knife to help me grip the blade of the short sword and hold it in place.

And I began. Striking quickly, slowly, sideways, long ways, long strokes, short strokes. I kept at it, and at it and at it. I could feel my will bending, wanting to give up, to say screw it and lay down and starve, but then my stomach would grumble and I knew I'd sooner rub the flesh from my hands from striking over and over then starve to death. So I kept at it. Sweat at my brow, wiping it away I felt the dirt on my hands smear across my face, but I ignored it, there was no one too look pretty for out here, just nature, and nature didn't care. The thought brought me back to my last night of actual sleep, in Naomi's arm, with her singing to me; I tried to replay it in my head. The dream made me think of the forest, of nymphs and fairies and for a moment I thought they were actually with me. I would go crazy out here, but I'd be damned if I'd starve to death.

And then, a spark. It made me jump and I stared for a long moment before mimicking the action, as soon as I did it I knew it wasn't quite right, I tried again. Again still, and no sparks, but I was determined, I could do it once, I could do it again and be successful. Another spark, I grinned but didn't look away as I mimicked the strike again, this time perfectly, still it didn't ignite my tinder. I had to move closer, strike lower and still manage the same angle and strength. Another spark and smoke. I was speechless for a moment but quickly returned to my task, blowing gently on the pile of wood shavings until the orange energy flicked up and I wiggled it into my teepee, continuing to softly blow. Then the wood lit up and in minutes my fire was alive, and so was I.

I smiled brightly, leaning back to stare at the sky, the sun was past midday, but it felt wonderful in all it's basking glory, burning my eyes. Then I laughed, straight out laughed a sound of pure joy and achievement. Never, never have I felt so alive, so in control, so achieved. Striking my first target with an arrow hadn't been as exhilarating as this, this was true bliss, this was salvation, survival, and most of all it was a whole new feeling of self-worth, knowing I needed no one and I would be no one's object ever again.

My hunger was forgotten for the moment as I reigned in my glory, the beautiful born of my endeavors, this beautiful fire. I couldn't help laughing again, wish I had someone to hug and scream my success at, but the forest would have to do.

Then it growled again, I might have been really proud of myself but it didn't stop the biological needs of food. Sighing I looked to my bunny corpse across the way, staring at it, again wishing it would just poof into something edible. I chanted to myself, over and over, my success, something I thought I'd surely fail at. If I could do that, I could do this.

Unfortunately I kept seeing his little ears wiggle, those cute, big black eyes, looking at me nervously. I shook my head, I couldn't think of how cute he was, I had to think of the meat inside, the food that would keep me alive, survival of the fittest!

I crawled over to it and sat in front of it, resisting the urge to pet it as if it were still alive. Slowly, tentatively I placed my hand at its neck, its fur was soft under my hands, I'd heard of people saving furs, even something as small as a rabbit fur, if I could keep from ruining it; should I even try or just go for the meat? I sighed, my stomach growled, for now, meat. I was mortified enough at what I had to do, last thing I needed was a fluffy bunny pelt to remind me of my crimes. No, not a crime, just food, just food…

With a deep breath I placed the knife at its neck, closed my eyes and pushed. The feeling was disgusting to say the least, the sound of the skin pulling apart under the pressure, the gushing of the blood spurting; I could feel it sliding down and around my fingers. The fur matted under my fingers, getting wet and I had to regrip the rabbit. Suddenly my stomach twisted and I jerked around, leaning over the water and heaved.

This was nothing like killing someone with an arrow, there was nothing to feel with the arrow, it left the bow and that was it. The gushing into the body was not noticed by an archer, for obvious reason. How anyone could be a melee fighter to feel something like this under their blade was beyond me

After my stomach settled I turned back and instantly I regretted looking back; the creature was a mess, its head only partially attached now. I turned back around and stared into the water, my stomach doing cart wheels, heaving was painful so I tried to just relax, this was for a good cause, and after all it was just blood. I'd helped InuYasha recover from gaping wounds and that had never affected me, so why would I let a stupid little rabbit bother me? Cause it was so darn cute….

I sighed and turned back around when I thought I could handle it, forcing myself to stare at the mutilated create and swallow the bile rising in my throat. I would starve if I couldn't do this. Starvation was not an option so timidly I touched the corpse, its blood still sliding down; at least I'd done this by the water so I could wash it away when I was through.

My fire was roaring, giving me confidence as I went fully manual and held the rabbit by its body and pulled its head the rest of the way off. Oh yes, it was gross, and my stomach lurched but I was done vomiting over my soon to be dinner. I threw the head as far as I could, I didn't want to see its cute eyes anymore. Enough of this, I told myself and I picked up the knife again, I got rid of the cute part, now it was just food! But it still had its cute little tail! I twisted the body so I couldn't see it.

What did I know about this? Absolutely flipping nothing. Organs, I had to get those out, if I man handled it too much and stuff started popping inside of it I wouldn't be able to eat it, so I had to get those out before I could start mutilating it in what I was sure would be a miserable attempt to skin it. I had no idea what the best way to go about that was so I went for what I figured would be easy on humans, the abdomen. Pulling its limbs wide I stared at its soft belly. Good way to think of it, limbs, not cute little paws, but limbs, they're in the way.

I worked at brainwashing myself to see the meat, limbs, body, food; no fur, no cute little bunny nose, just meat, it didn't have a face anymore, I continued to repeat, I could do this, I HAD to do this. I put the point of the knife to its belly and this time I didn't look away as I pushed down as the blood gushed from the wound; how much blood did this tiny thing have? I didn't allow myself to stop even as my stomach kept twisting. I doubted I'd be able to eat if I ever successfully skinned it anyway, but I had to try.

With a long slice down its belly I knew I'd have to use my hands to dig them out. I held the corpse, yes corpse, good word, in one hand and dug in with the other. Spaghetti, isn't that what we did for Halloween? Filled a box with spaghetti and told everyone to shove their hands into the dark hole and tell them it was organs; it really wasn't that similar….

I popped them out and let them drop onto the ground, oh so gross. It seemed like half the creature was just organs; I kept digging for more and more. When I was satisfied I stared at my work, yes it was a bloody mess, but somewhere along the line I'd stopped feeling the need to heave, that was progress, right? Of course it was; I needed to be positive.

Maybe if I sliced up the rest of the way to the gaping neck I could peel the skin back and off the flesh. Let's go for that. I took the knife again and sliced another line up to the neck. Alright, time to go manually again. I grabbed one side of the skin, digging my nails into the meat to firmly grip the fur and skin and pulled, I was amazed the skin came off the rabbit in a rather clean, fluid motion, leaving even the limbs bare. I thought I'd have to do more work to get it off the legs, though it had been tough pulling it off the feet and the fur seemed to want to stay there. I cut the feet off that held the remaining part of the fur and the tail that seemed just as stubborn.

I was rather proud of my work, a few heaves and my stomach still wasn't settled, but I had skinned and gutted the rabbit; I do hope I got all the guts out or I might be staying up sick from it. I leaned over the water with the creature's corpse and rinsed it off and cleaned out thoroughly where the guts had been, I didn't have a means to marinade the rabbit corpse, and honestly I didn't know if just dousing it in the alcoholic drink would do anything but I did it anyway. I dumped the contents of the hide pouch onto the rabbit, rubbing it around and inside all the nooks and crannies before cleaning it off in the water again. Finally, I took a stick from my pile of fire wood and skewed the rabbit and stuck one end of the stick into the ground, the rabbit hanging from the other over the fire.

Smiling, I looked down at my work, this wasn't so bad, I could do this! With a deep inhale I coughed, oh it reeked of entrails and whatever else came out of that creature. My kimono was ruined with blood and it was up to my elbows. I sighed looking to the water, time for a bath while my food cooked. Pulling off my kimono I stepped into the cool water, submerging the once pristine white kimono in the water, now covered in a layer of dirt and blood. The blood was still wet so most of it came out, but the kimono would never be the pure white it had once been, now it held more of a yellow-cream tone. I hung it over a branch before returning to the water and cleaning the blood and dirt from the rest of me.

I buried the entrails and what was left of the fur a ways from my little encampment, not too worried about being caught naked after all the things Sesshoumaru had ever done to me and fairly confident there was no one for miles anyway.

I sat by my cooking bunny, exhausted yet proud. I munched on my berries and lay staring at the sun as it danced over the sky. I laughed; naked I really did feel like a forest nymph, it made me feel a little sexy. With nothing left to do but think my thoughts went to Sesshoumaru and my heart twisted into knots, damn him for all he's done to me, damn him for going too far. Strange, after humiliating me and degrading me publicly I hadn't really hated him for it, in some way I'd enjoyed it, sexually anyway. He knew I liked it so he persisted, but this time, what he did to me. He'd wanted information; there was no playful teasing, or testing my limits of sexual desire on one topic, just a means to an end for him. Did he even care about what he'd done to me, the horror he'd made me feel? What's more, and what it actually comes down too: How dare he make me choose….


	24. Chapter 24

It had been four days, each day I worked at survival, my biggest challenge was skinning my meals. The second day I'd tried to survive off berries and ended up getting sick. I knew the berry though, and I just concluded that having too many berries would get me sick. Each day the ground seemed to get a little softer, each twig under my foot didn't feel like a razor blade anymore. The soft leather boots protected me from actually getting cut, but they didn't prevent the breaking sound disrupting my hunting or the sharp discomfort from the small rocks and twigs getting caught under my toes. I found it easier to stalk my prey; I was smoother with my steps, easily weaving in and out of trees with the least amount of sound. It wasn't a strength thing, my muscle didn't ache every day from over use, it was just a familiarity, like walking through ones house blindfolded and somehow not running into anything. While the forest was always changing, each step I took was always on new grounds, they were still similar, and the twigs, rocks and dips in the forest floor I'd begun to notice long before my foot crushed down on them. Each day I found another endeavor to be proud of. It had taken me two of the days I was out here but I'd managed to sharpen a long piece of wood into a rather fine pointed spear, I hunted with that spear in the water beside me. Which is where I'm at now, desperately trying to spear a fish.

It might have seemed ridiculous and even as I stood here I realized this was a pointless endeavor, I could shoot with my bow but I wasn't skilled in throwing spears, and yet I kept trying. Logically it didn't seem like it should be any harder than shooting a bow, but if I was to believe InuYasha then the only reason I was even mildly good with a bow was because I was Kikyou's reincarnation, however, Seyerna believes I'm a parallel soul, still I'm not sure what that means or the difference for that much.

With another forced throw and a splash into the shallow water, my spear stuck straight up, lodged in the sand, it had happened a few times already, I didn't know if it was good that I could throw it with enough force to make it stick in the sand or bad that I wasn't doing that every time. I chuckled to myself as I reached for the spear again, stopping as I saw a fish struggling frantically by the head. To my utter amazement I realized I'd caught it by the tail. Holding the spear down I reached into the satchel strung across me and pulled out the skinning knife. I submerged my hands into the water and in seconds I'd impaled the fish on the knife, then pulled both the spear and the knife from the water, the fish skewered on the skinning knife. I laughed uproariously and headed back to shore with my trophy.

Surviving like this was not easy by any stretch of the word, but it did however offer a whole new level of self-worth, of pride and sense of achievement. I enjoyed moments like these, when my heart swelled and I realized me, myself and I were all great people; physically, and spiritually powerful, and becoming quite the hunter.

I spent my days hunting jewel shards, maybe it was ridiculous, but it was still my task. I'd managed to discover one and successfully slay the demon carrying it and now I was headed for another. I couldn't tell you what direction it was in cause I couldn't figure out how to tell direction. It didn't bother me, as long as I could keep hunting and surviving, sooner or later I'd come across civilization. Sure the first two days I bawled my eyes, I cried because I was alone, I cried because I was scared and I cried because I had to skin my own food. Then I realized I wasn't sure what I was afraid of, I'd taken out the Lord of the Western Lands, and two bandits, I could take care of myself, I just needed to get past the fear that made me think I couldn't. I needed to get past InuYasha and his voice in my head telling me I'm weak and worthless. I couldn't do much about being alone, except to learn to enjoy my own company; though nature has become quite the companion: always loyal, always offering shade and concealing me from the creatures of the night. And skinning my own food still grossed me out but after so many attempts I was getting better, the pelts were coming out cleaner, I'd almost considered keeping one but it was just too gross for me.

As I spent my fifth day walking towards the jewel another feeling caught my attention, familiar, but so very black, the blackest of all the auras I knew: Seyerna. I took off in an easy run, they were a good distance away. I managed to pace myself well enough that I wasn't exhausted by the time I came upon the clearing. It seemed to be a temple out in the middle of nowhere, but there were demons circling it. One of the demons circling the temple had the jewel shard I'd sensed, and within the temple I could feel Seyerna, so strange, she always, always, hid her aura and power, so why show it now?

All the demons were just… looming around, it was so strange, and there wasn't really a hostile feel to the area. As I moved closer the actual aura of all these creatures became much more obvious, it was fluid like, shifting and flowing around the group. There was so many of them it was hard to tell where one aura ended and the next began. However, what did become apparent to me was the sensuality in the way the auras moved. The closer I got the more I realized the sex and desire floating around me. I was nervous, what the hell would cause an army of demons to feel this much desire simultaneously? What's more, why was Seyerna in the middle of it and flaunting her aura?

I was feet from the edge of the demon circle; still they paid me no mind. With my power completely sealed and locked up tight as to not bring attention to myself I weaved my way into the demons. There was no limit in the kinds, from the more powerful humanoids, to lesser beings that had no human similarities to sprites, both men and women gathered around. Some of the demons were sporting obvious arousal. This was a little embarrassing to wander in on but my curiosity wouldn't let me back down.

Finally I breached the inner circle and I was left breathless staring, wondering if I blinked if I'd realize I was seeing things. Even after several consecutive blinks the image did not disappear. There before me was a very naked and very sexy Seyerna all of her scars revealed behind her a man stood, his hair the color of ink and his eyes the color of electric green lightning. He looked like a wild beast with his dark olive skin. His eyes were intense, piercing even, never looking up, instead devouring Seyerna's nakedness. It shouldn't have surprised me he was naked as well, a gorgeous, divine body that should have been sin just to stare upon. His arms easily enveloped Seyerna's frame, holding her arms pinned to her sides. At that moment something strange happened where this male's flesh touched Seyerna's a soft white glow emitted, upon closer inspection - reading his aura - I found that he was white, his power pure, similar to mine; his aura a pale green.

I jumped at Seyerna's howl of pleasure or pain I wasn't sure but the white light became more intense as the male's hands caressed up and down Seyerna's naked form, giving special attention to her soft chest. The way his hands groped her lovely bosom made my mouth water, his hands were rough with callouses, larger than my feminine hands and easily enveloped what I considered to be a bountiful chest on the demoness. I couldn't help wondering what it would be like to have her breast in my much smaller hands. I felt myself flexing my hands as if I could really feel it, the softness to her mounts, the way her body twisted and writhed against her mate like a serpent coiling around her caller.

They were doing this for an audience? No bondage or means of humiliating one or the other, both consenting partners. I was confused but the more this male touched Seyerna the more aroused I became. He touched her thigh, coaxing her into her motions of such smooth sexuality. Raising her leg up so her toes pointed to the ceiling, he stroked down from her calf, as far as he could reach, down the back of her thigh till he reached her ass, squeezing and his nail pushed into her soft skin, it didn't occur to me at that moment that they weren't claws. Her womanhood was completely exposed, spread wide to the audience. No prominent noise was ever made from the audience but they would groan and grunt from time to time, apparently physically enjoying the spectacle and as I was loathe to admit it – so was I.

His fingers were like magic dancing across her lips each touch elected another moan or whine from the receiving demoness. His hands were so nimble and fluid, everywhere at once, from her breasts to her arms, all across her stomach, her thighs and most importantly her lovely womanhood that was swollen with desire. I don't know what was getting to me more, Seyerna's mews and sweet sounds that seemed to melt me, such a great demoness succumbing to sounds that were more appropriate for a kitten or the way this male moved, watching from this view was so enticing. I felt terrible watching but I couldn't look away, and the carnal part of me didn't want to look away.

I heard myself moan when they shifted and his member came into view, his tip pushing against her exposed clit, rubbing down to her delicious little slit. Seyerna was trembling as he slowly pushed into her body, holding her one thigh at his shoulder so her toes were still pointed at the ceiling. Seyerna leaned back and she had to put her hands on the stone slab beside them to keep herself supported. Each inch he wedged himself into her body was like torture for me. Seyerna was in bliss, writhing and twisting her body, struggling to push herself down on him, but he held her strong, taking his time in entering her and it felt like it took forever! Then he pushed up to the hilt so he was finally inside of her fully; her thighs flush against his chest. The junction of their bodies, the mere image of it was so intimate and so very, very arousing. The stark contrast between his dark sexy skin and her sweet moon-touched glow only seemed to make the motions of their bodies more prominent more defined. I didn't realize until now but I was trembling, my legs felt weak and I was barely keeping myself from drooling.

"S-ssage…." Seyerna's voice was like molten pleasure and I shivered from the sound alone. Sage was his name, I didn't get to linger on it as Sage kissed Seyerna's thigh and then pulled out of her. Her body trembled and so did mine. The next moment he pushed back into her and Seyerna howled her pleasure, arching and trying to wedge him deeper and deeper. As their rhythm began slow, so easily he glided in and out of her body, and yet each thrust I got the impression she was going to squeeze the life out of him with his desperate groans and the way his fingers pushed into her tender thighs which would have otherwise pulsed with muscle and physical strength, now completely relied on Sage's body to hold her stable in her throws of passion.

Each thrust made me crave sex more, made me want to know the feel of a man, and shamefully the face on my fantasy male partner was Sesshoumaru. After all he'd done to me I couldn't deny the fire he could build in me. I had to resist the urge to crumble to the ground and pleasure myself in sync with Seyerna's otherworldly pleasure or maybe it was just otherworldly from my perspective. Sage moved with such grace, supporting Seyerna and himself, so she was free to twist and move, seeming to add to their intense pleasure.

Their orgasm was intense and utterly mind blowing, it became apparent why Seyerna hadn't hidden her aura. It must have been damn near impossible to hide her power when she was in the throws of passion. At the peak of her orgasm her power seemed to crescendo and explode, Sage's did a similar feat; their auras danced together like their bodies did, shining in their great power. I was certain at that point that Sage was pure in power, like myself.

Sage so easily contorted Seyerna's body, or maybe it was the way she moved in sync with his strength that made her look like silk gliding as he moved her to lay on the slab. He pulled the silk cloth from the floor and laid it over Seyerna, she purred at the fabric gliding over her nakedness, arching as the remnants of her pleasure still reverberated through her. I was jealous; I wanted that delicious look of complete satisfaction Seyerna currently wore.

Sage's eyes landed on mine and I can't imagine what I must have looked like. He started laughing, "They don't usually stick around for me to kill them after the fact…." I didn't understand the comment, but Sage's face was no longer lost in the throws of passion, his features were harsh and held an almost cruel look to them. I was too aroused to think clearly.

"Sage," Seyerna spoke up, "She doesn't know what just happened. She's a friend." Sage looked back to Seyerna than back to me.

"A friend, huh?" He stood there a moment, still naked before turning and going back into the temple disappearing down one of the corridors.

"Come here, Kagome." Seyerna whispered softly and it sounded so very seductive. Sage's comment was slowly dawning on me as I looked around and realized the other demons had disbursed. They'd watched the show but left before Sage regain enough clarity to kill them for spying; was that common among demons? I managed to walk on wobbly legs up the few steps into the main open corridor where Seyerna still lay.

"Yes and no. Demons aren't modest, sex is often public. Any mating that is to be acknowledged by the demon council must be public." She rolled onto her side and she still had that lazy and sexy look to her eyes. "Demons don't stick around because well... it's awkward." The most obvious answer is always the last thing you think of. "Though Sage doesn't mind killing a few stragglers. What you just saw is rather common though."

"Sage…" I whispered his name and she smiled at me. "He is your mate?"

Seyerna nodded softly and looked longingly to the direction he'd disappeared. "Sometimes demons will stick around if they want to fight to have their way with the woman. Sage has had… a number of incidents. They often think him weak for his humanity." It didn't surprise me to hear that Seyerna was a highly sought after demoness, she was quite beautiful, not to mention powerful. However, it hadn't really occurred to me that Sage was human, but as I thought back I realized he didn't have pointed ears or claws or any demonic features. I guess it shouldn't surprise me that Seyerna was mated to a human, with the way she treated me she saw nothing wrong with interracial relationships. I smiled; it only confirmed my theories about the demoness, all of them positive.

However, I had a dilemma: I was still aroused. "Kagome," Seyerna whispered, looking at me with a tender look. "You just watched me have sex, most of the demons that left just went far enough to not be bothered while they sate their own needs. There's no shame in seeking pleasure…." I was sure I was as red as a tomato as Seyerna suggested I pleasure myself right here. Even though Sesshoumaru had publicly pleasured me and done such intimate things to me, I couldn't bring myself to do it to myself. It was just too out of ordinary for my human customs; even if Sage didn't seem to abide by human customs it was a bit farfetched for me.

Seyerna chuckled a dark sexy laugh and I wondered if every sound that came from her I'd read as being sexy after watching the motions and sounds of her body in the most intimate of endeavors. I couldn't look at her knowing she could read my mind and the more I tried not to think about it and how much it had turned me on the more the thoughts seemed to dance across my mind.

I squinted my eyes still trying to will the thoughts away, my head bowed when a soft foot step closed in and I opened my eyes. In my vision were a pair of black shoes and looking up I was met with a – thankfully – full dressed Sage. His features were stunning in his mostly black regalia. The cruelty to his features didn't seem as prominent anymore, perhaps now that he knew I wasn't an enemy he'd pulled in the combat reigns. He looked at me a long moment before looking to Seyerna. Unrolling the black fabric slung over his arm a silk black robe was revealed, he reached to Seyerna and she took his hand, letting him wrap the robe around her shoulder and tie it around her waist. For a moment I was stunned into staring at the intimacy between these two the way they complemented the other's motions. With snake like hands he slid them around her tiny waist and pulled her to him in a fluid like motion that Seyerna had no trouble anticipating, her body rolling against his as if they'd start all over again. When their mouths met, their lips like flowers gliding against each other, such soft and gentle touches… such… love.

I felt so out of place, why did it seem watching this intimate moment of raw affection seemed more inappropriate than watching their carnal sating of needs. I managed to look away, stumbling to my feet and wandering to the wall. For the most part I wasn't panting in arousal, though I still had a tingly feeling between my legs.

"I want you to help Kagome." I looked over at my name, but Seyerna was talking to Sage. His eyes moved to me than back to the woman in his arms.

"Help her how?" I was surprised he had to state his mind.

Seyerna didn't answer my thoughts but kept on her track, "Teach her how to use her magic, she has so much potential. Being one of dark powers there's only so much I can show her and I don't know how much more I can do. I think it would be more beneficial if you trained her…."

Sage glanced over at me, debating the thought; I didn't want to be a burden. "Seyerna, I appreciate all you've done for me already, but I've just met your mate, I don't want him to think ill of me…."

Sage looked at me than back to Seyerna, "You don't speak of your own mate?" He faked being hurt but I think he was just looking for an excuse for what he did next. Snatching her wrists before she could escape his grasp he flared up his white magic and bangles of his magic formed around her wrists, pulling her hands over his head the bangles merged into one bond. The binding held her wrists together and he used one hand to keep her hands over her head so he could run his hand down from her throat over her chest and stopping at her stomach to hold her against him while he kissed her cheek and ear.

"Oh yes, Seyerna doesn't speak of me often because she knows what I can do and she wouldn't want people to think there was any means of controlling her." He cackled and kissed her cheek. She whined and wiggled against him.

"Saaage…." She whimpered and I couldn't help but think the scene was rather cute. He let her wrists go but pinned her against him kissing down her cheek and neck. He couldn't keep his hands off of her and she seemed to be trapped under the same spell. I giggle.

They looked up at me and both smiled realizing they'd been caught in their affections. Reluctantly Sage released Seyerna.

"Come Kagome, the first thing any human needs to learn how to do is to keep up with a demon's speed." He walked away from Seyerna and over to me, Seyerna was smiling and I kept looking back as Sage ushered me from the temple.

Sage was an excellent teacher but the more he worked with me the more I wanted to know how he did it: how did he seduce Seyerna? I knew Seyerna didn't really judge according to race, but it just seemed so unbelievable, every demon I'd ever encountered, however friendly to me, would never have considered me worthy of mating, except Kouga of course. Sesshoumaru only seemed to want me for sexual purposes and InuYasha, well I wasn't sure he wanted me at all, but he did want Kikyou. I guess it was just hard to wrap my mind around, even though I had encountered several demons that didn't seem prejudice.

He taught me how to 'transcend dimensions' as he called it. He said it was a surreal state where I'd be more in touch with magic, where with the right knowledge and training it could become almost tangible. I didn't understand what he was getting at but when he showed me I was flabbergasted. Sage easily moved through air like floating, but he did it so quickly! He easily rivaled demon speed, but how did he do it? His explanation was foggy and didn't make a lot of sense to me. I knew how to see auras but he said it wasn't the same as seeing raw power. Raw power apparently exists in everything from the trees to the insects, being able to see it was step one into stepping into this other dimension that seemed to overlap ours. The more he talked to me the more I felt like I was coming to understand. Every so often through our training he'd stop and show me a certain way to summon my magic, or a specific way to shape it. We spent over an hour on him showing me how much magic was needed for the technique, but then proceeded to explain that I'd probably start off using almost half of my current energy to do it. It was all training: training to move the magic, training to make more out of less, training to change dimensions. Sure I could try to figure it out on my own, but he laughed and said that wasn't likely since this was a technique few if any humans knew, which made me wonder how he knew, alas I remained quiet, silently sucking up the information.

The actual technique wasn't so bad once I figured out what he meant by seeing energy. Magic was far more complicated since I'd met Seyerna. I couldn't seem to find his power, so he called Seyerna over and let her sit by me so I could try and find her power. He seemed to believe since it was black the contrast from my own power to her's would make it easier to see. I couldn't figure it out; I just kept seeing her aura. After a disgruntled sigh from Sage he started talking to me about trees. He had me focus on a tree while he spoke to me about power, explaining its ins and outs. Then it hit me like a brick, trees didn't have auras because they didn't have souls, but power was more than a soul it was what made the world tick. It's what creates gravity and what gives fire its heat. It was science in essence, but magic was the living's force of will over the sciences. We could influence things physically but we could also influence the world with our souls. Our souls were our conductor to this magical realm he kept talking about. Everything had power, so the tree had power, magical power, but not an aura.

I laughed when I finally saw it, it looked similar to auras but didn't feel the same, well it didn't feel any different really, but it was like I could pick out the power and what was pressing on me the most. I picked up on Seyerna's power, it was purple, all purple, while our auras were affected by life because of it being directly linked to our souls, our power was more primitive than that, it was linked with the world and life itself, versus the individual, so it wouldn't be affected like the aura would be. Sage's was the green of a pale blade of grass, and as I dug deeper I could see my own, it was actually a pink color.

As I regained myself Seyerna was smiling at me proudly, she'd obviously kept tabs on my thoughts so she knew I'd figured it out. "She's ready for the next step Sage." Sage looked at Seyerna than at me and smiled as well.

Everything after that was so much easier! The technique Sage showed me 'transcending dimensions' was technically stepping into the magical field and using it like water, swimming through it, as that's what it most resembled to me. He stressed that this wasn't completely changing into another dimension, more standing on the line from our dimension to the magical one, which overlaps our world.

Sage was able to take me into it by holding me to him when he transcended. Watching it like this was amazing to say the least, though he kept scolding me and telling me to pay attention to the actual technique it was difficult when the transcended state was so distracting. It was beautiful; the world seemed foggy, like we were viewing things through a fish lens but Sage worked it like a pro. One moment we were next to Seyerna the next we were back at the temple and it was literally a matter of seconds, though we'd walked for fifteen minutes in the first place.

He made me attempt it myself to get back and while it wasn't difficult to step into the realm there was a serious problem: I ran into a tree. The rate at which I moved just about knocked me out from the impact. Sage gave me as long as I needed to recover but I was determined to try again. After about an hour I at least got to the point where I could phase out before I crashed into something but I was having trouble moving out of the way before hitting something. How was this doable?

We spent all day training; Seyerna lingered about watching for quite a while but eventually disappeared. I was completely exhausted by the time we returned to the temple. Seyerna wasn't there when we returned but Sage didn't seem alarmed by this so neither was I.

"How did you end up with Seyerna?" What can I say? I'm curious as ever about their relationship. A demoness as powerful as Seyerna mated to a human seemed almost comical.

Sage was cooking on the center fire when I asked, he remained silent for a long time and I wondered if he wouldn't answer, it wasn't really my business anyway. "My situation is different; I've known Seyerna since she was eight years old." I stopped in my tracks, Seyerna was a demon and I'd assumed a rather old demon. I turned and moving to him I sat beside him while he prodded our dinner. Even if Seyerna was a young demoness Sage was too young for his story to make sense without further explanation. "I didn't have a body for maybe a millennia or so, honestly I don't remember, it's hard to keep track of time when you just exist without much else." He chuckled and sat back, leaving our meal alone while he told his story. "I was born in the year of 324. When I was 28 I was attacked by sorceresses, it wasn't uncommon for creatures to try and strip me of my powers but these women were different, they had no low, they used ever tactic imaginable. After at least a dozen failed attempts… they succeeded. They ripped my soul from my body and bound it to use as they please. I could go year by year the various devices I became the power source for, but in a shortened versus, I was eventually bound to a sword. The sorceresses were murdered and the sword taken from their custody. From there I was passed down, stolen, lost and thrown into a river and a dozen other things I don't care to explain for the next I don't know how many years. Finally, I fell into the hands of an eight year old Seyerna. She was a lost and confused child who the world seemed to hate, at every turn things seemed to fall on her. I grew… attached. She was different and no matter what people did to her they couldn't bend her morals her break her spirit. It was inevitable that I would fall in love with her as she matured into a beautiful and powerful woman. I've always been with her." Sage stopped to take our dinner from the fire and split onto two plates. Casually I asked about Seyerna and he whispered she usually found her own meals. Seyerna was so independent, it didn't seem like their relationship should work, but I'd seen it with my own eyes the strength behind it. Maybe it was due to all the years they spent together, what was it like? And what's more, what about Sage's body? Surely his had been destroyed by the time he came upon Seyerna, or was she that old?

"So, how did you end up getting your body back?" I inquired softly.

He looked at himself and chuckled softly, "It's not mine, per say, it was created. It cost Seyerna a lot of blood, sweat and tears to figure out how to make flesh from nothing." Like Kikyou, I wondered, somehow I didn't think so, Kikyou had been dead, her body created from remains and a portion of my soul, Sage had never really died. "The magic Seyerna used was something I'd discovered in my years of being traded from owner to owner. Though it was underdeveloped and not actually all that viable. Seyerna took my theories and made them a reality. It was just like her too, no one could ever tell her something was impossible because she'd die looking for a way to make it possible. My creation was through the use of flesh magic; it's quite a bit different than necromancy. It's quite a bit more dangerous, from creating deformed abominations to killing the caster from various possible mistakes that are so very easy to make. What I knew of flesh magic would cost a living sacrifice; this was not acceptable to Seyerna, even if it was a foe, because the magic would use the sacrifice's soul as a power source, effectively erasing that individual from existence entirely. No afterlife, no rebirth, they were be turned into raw power and eventually disburse.

"Seyerna had started hunting for the means to give me flesh when she was only sixteen. When she was two hundred and three she found it. Between her and several of her allies she'd acquired over time she managed to do it, though after the fact she was unconscious for two days straight from blood and power loss, not an easy feat to knock a demon out for an hour let alone two days. It took everything in her to do it. The living weren't meant to do what Seyerna can do, but for some reason unknown to me she persists on."

We spent awhile eating in silence as I rolled his words around in my head, I'd never heard of flesh magic, but it sounded terrible. I found myself comparing Kikyou to Sage, he didn't feel or smell anything like her. Whenever I was in range of Kikyou she actually smelled of earth and dirt, Sage smelled like a male, with his own unique husky smell to him. I decided what Seyerna did was nothing like what Urasue did. Urasue didn't care about Kikyou, Kikyou was just a means of power to her; Seyerna loved Sage, she bleed for him, cried for him and spent two hundred years seeking a way to bring him to her. Love was not the word for their relationship.

"Did he tell you about the advantages of his new body too?" I turned and Seyerna wandered into the temple, sitting beside us as we finished our meal.

"What advantages?" I inquired, intent on hearing all I could squeeze form the mysterious couple.

"He's much stronger than a normal human, his flesh, because it was created from demon blood and magic, he can handle much more. It took a lot of studying on flesh magic to create actual flesh, but in the end we're all created from earth, so it's no surprise it's possible. He bleeds and breathes just like you and I. But what's amazing is how resilient his body is, not as resilient as a demon's but he's still able to take a sword to the stomach and walk away alive. What's more it seems since I created his body with my magic he's… err… quite resistant to my powers."

"Can you do that to me?" The words just fell out; I don't even think I had a chance to think them before I spoke the words. Both Seyerna and Sage were looking at me intently. Sage's attention turned to Seyerna, he was curious to hear her answer.

"I… don't know. The reason Sage is so resilient is because he was created with demonic magic and blood. You kind of already exist with flesh and blood… It's worth looking into though if you really want that. I don't know what kind of side effects it would have though. I mean, yea it's been three hundred years since I created Sage's flesh, but things can still go wrong. For all we know it could have ruined his afterlife, maybe it's a mortal sin and we're going to hell." Seyerna chuckled at that and Sage smiled.

"Why is that funny?" I question.

"Seyerna's a demon, of course she's going to hell and with that thought in mind I hope it is a mortal sin so I might meet her on the other side." Seyerna blushed at his comment and I couldn't help but smile at how easy it was for these two to love each other in such a basic every day way.


	25. Chapter 25

The temple while not overly large had a few spacious rooms; I suppose Seyerna didn't need a lot of room if this was actually her home. She didn't seem like the type to be surrounded by popularity, and I was fairly certain she wasn't a Lord of any sort, so the home suited her nicely. She offered me one of those spacious rooms and a roll out futon which was the most comfortable thing I'd slept on in a week and I was grateful. The materials were of the finest quality, but the rooms were sparsely decorated, still the simplicity of it was a relaxing change. There were matts lining the floor in parallel patterns, and a single table with a beautifully sculpted bowl atop it filled with a small bit of water, other than that there was nothing in the room, but it didn't take from the simple beauty of it. The rooms were separated by thin screen doors covered in bamboo paper, there were five rooms total, two on either side of the main corridor I'd caught Seyerna having sex in – the thought still made me blush. The screen doors of the main corridor were huge and opened up on either side creating an interesting effect being able to stand outside one door and see straight through the building.

I had actually come upon her from the front of the temple, out the back, not two steps from the temple was another small building, upon entering I found a dream: hot springs. It was as if Seyerna found the perfect hot spring and decided to build her home right next to it, given the nature of Seyerna, it would surprise me if that's exactly what she did. They were secluded by walls but not a roof, the small area was always foggy with steam.

While I'd been too tired the night before to take advantage of them, come morning it was my first destination. Seyerna joined me, bringing me fresh clothes for which I was grateful as my once white robe was ruined, from stains to tears, it was a tattered mess and there was no saving it. We sat in silence for a long time but I got the impression it was because of something on Seyerna's mind; she seemed troubled.

She knew my thoughts and thus did not keep me waiting knowing I'd soon verbally inquired. "Sesshoumaru did terrible things to you, Kagome." As if I hadn't figured that one out; she scoffed at the thought. "Will you return to him?" 'No' was my immediate thought, but could I continue to hide from him? I had to complete the jewel; I couldn't leave until Naraku was dead.

"Oh, that reminds me." Seyerna spun around, reaching out of the spring and dug through her clothes, pulling out a small pouch she handed it to me, instantly I realized it was the jewel shard. Seyerna's power was so intimidating and foreboding it had completely clouded me from feeling the jewel shard that was as black as she was. Likely it had to do with her soul being a part of it so the jewel shard just about disappeared from view after being in her hands and yet I had sensed it earlier. "Probably because Sage had been carrying it for a time, he's fascinated by my soul being outside of my body like that." Which also explains why I didn't see it until later on. I wonder if that was part of the reason for their audience. "Likely, I hadn't considered it; it was a rather large audience, wasn't it…?" She chuckled.

"I met your friend Naraku. It was very strange talking to him, his mind was cloudy and hard to decipher. The woman with him helped me pick up on most of his words. Her name was Kagura. It was almost like he wasn't actually there. Something was strange about the form in front of me. It held a scent and an aura, but mentally it just didn't seem all there, and not the crazy kind of not there." I nodded, Naraku's puppet.

"What did he ask of you?" He always gave jewel shards when he was trying to coax someone into completing a task for him whom he would then turn around and kill them once completed - if they completed it.

Seyerna seemed to mull over my thoughts for a moment before answering me. "In a nut shell, he wants me to kill Sesshoumaru and InuYasha. He must think me stupid for the way he worded things. I'm a mistress of the mind, he'd have better off being completely honest and offering a better reward. Not that I would have anyway, I don't like allies with prices that's what mercenaries are for. Real allies are born from loyalty derived from trust and action not petty means of payment like that. Of course, a demon desperate for power is still desperate and demons will go to any lengths to achieve it. It's too bad really, knowing that the jewel shard is just a temporary power gain; wouldn't it make more sense to train oneself and become better than the jewel and its makers? But that's the demon in me speaking; all these halfbreeds running around with their human greed and power-hunger don't know what it means to be a demon." I chuckled at her because even being human I understood what she was getting at. The powerful demons didn't seem to give a damn about the jewel shards, they would much rather the power come from their own hands not another source, no matter how powerful that outside source would be.

Seyerna smiled at me, "It's so nice to be in the company of an intelligent human. So many humans would have been offended at my reference to human greed." How could I be offended when I knew exactly what she was talking about? Humans were greedy; fathers would sell their daughters in a 'political' marriage to raise their self-worth. All the wars? Usually over who gets a strip of land. Even lowly peasants, stealing, robbing and killing their neighbors all for money or more than what they have. It's all rooted to greed in the end.

"Don't get me wrong, demons are innately greedy too, but we're greedy for the power in ourselves. We want to be the strongest, the fastest, and the best at what we do. We didn't start marking land until we started inbreeding with humans and human greed was born in halfbreeds which inevitable effected the demon race. There are still demons like myself that cling to the old ways. This very temple the only reason I built it was for my human companions that would come to stay with me, like yourself. I don't expect my human allies to survive a rain storm and not get deathly sick from it. Well, no, I originally built it two hundred years ago when I created Sage, I had no idea he'd turn out to be so powerful. But it's come in use more times than not with the various races of allies I have. What's more, I much prefer it to sleeping on the ground; it gives me a sense of belonging." The way she said the word 'belonging' made me feel she didn't get that often, if ever before this place.

We climbed out of the springs and I dressed in the new kimono, it only hung to my knees and was a rich blue tongue with white sakura blossoms, the obi was plain white. It was simple and I was grateful. She also showed me how to wrap my breasts without it being too tight, though my mind was running through all the bras I had at home, she didn't question my thoughts. It seemed strange, surely Seyerna knew I was from the future with her ability to read minds and yet she never inquired, as curious as I was to ask, I wouldn't initiate the conversation.

Seyerna walked with me into the forest leading me to god knows where. After about a half hour we breached the forest and stepped out into an open meadow. Sage was sitting a ways off, meditating I assumed. Seyerna escaped me, moving towards her mate, not a sound coming from her motions, her aura invisible. Coming up behind Sage she wrapped him in her embrace and kissed his neck, when he turned to her she wasted no time in stealing his mouth in her passion. Even though I'd seen them together in the most intimate of ways, I just couldn't wrap my mind around a demon showing public displays of affection. Trying to get InuYasha to use my name had been a challenge, Sesshoumaru didn't acknowledge anything behind sex, in fact the only time I recalled affection with him was sitting in his gardens before Kouga. I sighed as the memories that came were hurtful and I had to force them away with all my strength to keep from tearing up. I hadn't really cried about what Sesshoumaru had done to me and I didn't want too now when these two amazing people were willing to help me and offer me all their love and affection as if I'd always been part of their family.

Seyerna's arms were suddenly around me and I looked up to see her red eyes glazed over with what I feared looked like pity. I pushed her away and she did not fight me, hugs would make me cry. I took a deep breath and forced it away, walking to Sage who was not standing in the middle of the clearing watching hesitantly. Even as I reached him he did not speak, he looked to Seyerna, then to me, this isn't what I wanted from them and certainly not what I needed from them.

"What are we doing today?" I broke the silence unable to bear another moment and shamed at the slightest hiccup caught in the mist of my words.

Sage was hesitant to speak but eventually did; "I brought you here in an open field so you could play with the technique I showed you yesterday a little more. This will help you understand how draining it is and also let you work on just moving around in that state without running into anything." He smiled at that, I was grateful for it and smiled as well.

The training was much less painful today, but Sage hadn't been kidding about being draining. Yesterday I ran into things before I got a chance to really move much in this new dimensional state. Today without anything to run into I could hold the state for 30 second intervals and when I came out I felt like I would feint. The good news is I could circle the perimeter of the clearing which was easily a mile about a dozen times in those thirty seconds when moving at a full run. However I could also simulate this state as a walk which was much slower and made dodging easier. After tampering with it a bit in the clearing, Sage had me loop through a not so dense part of the forest. I was quickly getting better at this fish lens sight and the speed at which I was moving. It was all in your head.

When I thought I could take no more Sage had me sit down with him in the middle of the clearing and we just talked. When asking why we spent so much time just talking Sage was happy to explain that half the battle in fighting with magic was just comprehension. Understanding what you're using, the pros and cons of it were just as important as being able to do it which made perfect sense.

I found out, which I'd dully noted when doing it, that when in that dimensional state it was harder to sense things, if I already knew where something was I could keep track of it, but if something new entered my sensing range I likely wouldn't know it. He said there were levels to the training process. He had perfected this technique to such a point that he could keep his mind in our world while letting his body move through this magical world so he wasn't hindered by my problem. This was apparently quite difficult to achieve because we were already dancing on the dimensional line to pick and choose which pieces of oneself goes to the dimension and what doesn't is tricky as he simply put it. He didn't seem to know how to explain how he'd achieved that.

After lunch and so many hours of the recuperating we moved onto something less magic intensive – or so he believed. He helped me conduct magic, he said a good mage never loses magic when conducting it. We conduct magic when we use weapons, he said my magical arrows was a prime example, but that I used far more magic than necessary, most people do he pointed out. According to Sage most of the magic we put into a weapon attack drifts away before the weapon hits the target, this can even apply to melee weapons: swords, maces, axes and the like. The key is to have magic in only the portion that is going to strike the target directly, for an arrow that means to concentrate the energy into the very point and only the point, not the entire head of the arrow. Magic is very powerful and can do a lot of things, using more than necessary is just exhausting and will get one killed.

Sage wielded a halberd, it was a beautiful creation, with a black staff made of a light metal I was unfamiliar with; the head of the halberd was completely attached to the body, all one solid piece of this metal. The blade head was split into two claw-like pieces, engraved with a beautiful relief. He showed me time and time again how he would use magic and it was only to be on the sharp edge of the blade that would be used for cutting, however, because of the nature of his weapon there would be times when he would use the blunt end and he could also direct magic into that portion, the same rules applied though, only the side that would strike the target should have magic, the rest is just wasted energy. He compared this to if a target got to close to me I could direct magic into my bow but I should only direct it to the portion that would strike the foe.

It didn't take me long to conduct magic, I was familiar with it enough that it was just a matter of taking a small portion and concentrating it into a single location versus doing what I had been doing and engulfing the entire arrow in my power. The thing was, Sage also said it was possible to condense one's power so I could concentrate more power into a smaller location; this, he said, would take a lot of training that I could only discover on my own – that seemed to happen a lot with magic.

Moving on I discovered we can also create shield through conducting that just exist without ever wasting magic unless it's struck or attacked in some way. In essence he was telling me that every second of every day I should have a shield up and if I did it right it wouldn't drain me unless the shield was struck. Shields can be made in every shape and size, from dome ones to cover oneself and her companions to glove likes ones that fit the perfect outline of the caster; he said they were the least noticeable and also the most difficult to achieve.

Erecting a shield wasn't so difficult; it was a matter of pushing out my power but not my aura and hardening it through will and visual thought. A strange concept I realize, but it made sense when actually looking at it. My aura was my soul, whereas my power was my physical imprint on this plane and what connects me to the supernatural realm. By keeping my aura locked away but releasing my power I could always have my power at my disposal without having to struggle to unlock it and then use it while still being off the grid. It was amazingly helpful. It's pretty much always safe to assume that someone who is not magically inclined cannot see power, but almost everyone who fights and is even the slightest skilled in combat can see auras. Auras are much more obvious and much easier to pick up on, you don't need training to notice them, just a soul that isn't weak. Because of how much power I apparently have it will be easier for other magical beings to notice me. Seyerna suggested I still keep my power locked away if I was going to be on my own, but if I was certain foes were about then to unleash it then. I assumed that was her general method.

I spent hours and hours trying to wrap this shield around my body. I was tired, not from lack of power – as I quickly learned the quirk to not wasting energy – but from sheer effort and force of will. At some point Seyerna picked me up and carried me back to the temple. Sage wasn't around anymore and the sun had disappeared on me, the moon peering down at me curiously. I had been so lost in my concentration – meditation Seyerna corrected me – I hadn't notice time fly by me. Even still I was determined to at least wrap my power around my little finger, but alas at each attempt it seemed to rubber band away from me.

Seyerna had no useful tricks, but that it was different for each of us. For Seyerna it was a matter of her will being stronger than her power, I assumed it related to her knowledge of the mind. She assured me it likely was, as everything we do and everything we encounter affects our power, our auras and our very essence on this world and morphs us all into unique individuals. No two people would ever have the same grasp of magic. You could teach someone to wield a sword, but teaching someone to shoot a fireball was damn near impossible. It was all about becoming in tune with your inner self, your magical self, and the world around you and how it affects you and your powers.

It hadn't been my intention to let Kagome get so far. I'd been exhausted the first day she'd run away, proud she'd manage to take me down, but now she'd gone too far. I had things I had to attend to so I sent my first in command to find her and keep an eye on her. I thought it would be a simple task to find the little priestess, however, after a week and my visit to Lord Makoto to plan everything they hadn't found her. Now I found myself chasing a week old scent trail like a lowly mutt. It was degrading, but I'd make Kagome pay for it in due time, right now it was more important to just find her. I wasn't sure why I felt it was so important, she had, after all, managed to best me even if only by surprise. However, I knew it had likely been a fluke, her fear had heightened her senses and put her more in tune with her magic, it was common of her, likely she had no idea how she did it, or how to do it again. As proud as I was of her, I was… worried.

Her trail was obvious and yet invisible, the further I followed the more it seemed to disappear. While her scent still lingered, the remains of her meals weren't as easy to spot and her scent on the greenery was becoming minimal. I'd found the human camp she'd come upon with two dead males, one had pure fire forced into his face the other an arrow through his chest. It was almost worth laughing at, but then it occurred to me that I had never seen her kill before. The thought worried me more than I care to admit. None of her blood lingered in the air, just her scent passing through, didn't seem they'd hurt her.

Kagome didn't seem to run into much trouble surviving on her own, but I didn't know her to be the type to give up either. In fact, I believed she'd do just about anything to survive and with her optimistic view on life she was sure to succeed. Another days hike for her casual pace - mere minutes for me - and I came upon a demon corpse being picked at by crow demons. They disbursed as I came upon the corpse. There was a hole in its chest, likely from her arrow which she must have taken with her, but there was also a slash down it, a very awkward and uneven cut, it looked to be from a blade. I moved on, there was nothing more to see here, the only thing that would help me find her was the residue of the shikon shard, she must be hunting them. With that thought in mind I might be able to cut her off if I could find a way to track the nearest one. For now I was forced to follow her scent trail.

Following her scent deeper into the woods I found a temple, strange as it was, it seemed to hold only Kagome's aura and smell. With the doors already open I went in. I won't admit to being surprised by Seyerna sitting against one wall, a cup of tea cradled in her hands, her claws dancing across the stone cup. Nothing expensive for this demoness, she believed herself above such material items. Beside her, sitting with tea cup in hand was Kagome and beside her was another male, a human male. To my utter frustration I could sense none of them. Kagome's smell drafted about, but her aura was invisible to me. I was ready to grab her and shake her for hiding from me. This demoness should not be trusted, hadn't Kagome learned yet that demons only looked after themselves? And what's more who was this male whom scent was so tightly mixed with my priestess'.

"Relax, have some tea, I will explain whom the male is if just to keep you from overreacting." Seyerna read my mind and I felt my claws dig into my palm, damn her.

"Okay, don't have tea. Sage, the male, or human as you keep calling him, is my mate, so don't fret, he hasn't touched Kagome any more than necessary when training her." Training? Who was this man that was training my priestess? Surely no human male competed with her.

Seyerna 'humphed;' "Think what you want, neither Sage nor I are worried about if you think he's capable or not. We know what he can do and that's all that matters. Now, I really suggest sitting down and having tea, there's no reason this needs to be unpleasant."

Reluctantly I sat across from them at the small table. Kagome poured my tea and I couldn't help but think how appropriate it was that she served me. I didn't want to fight Seyerna on this day; I didn't want to fight her ever for that much. Her powers were not something I even liked to consider existed, alas they did, so the best I could do was avoid them and her.

"Tell me what you know of Lord Raidon and I'll agree: this need not be unpleasant." I stated the words matter-of-fact. Kagome was clutching Seyerna's hand and the male, what had Seyerna called him? Sage, I believe it was, was rubbing her forearm. Seyerna touching Kagome made me want to kill someone, Sage, a male, touching Kagome made me see red.

Seyerna sighed and looked at Sage, he seemed to realize his touch and pulled back, I tried to relax, but the thought alone made me sick with anger. Kagome had bodyguards now, how was I supposed to get her from them?

"You're not, you're supposed to negotiate with _me_ and Kagome can decide if she wants to go with you or ever see you again for that much." Seyerna put emphasis on 'me' and the tone in her voice suggested she knew everything I'd done to Kagome to try and find out about Lord Raidon's murder. I did not feel guilt for what I'd done. Kagome would submit to me. She needed to learn one way or another that as the male she would have to obey me.

Seyerna sneered at me, "You're a pitiful creature." She hissed and anger bit into my stomach, I managed to quell it, but the audacity of this demoness was infuriating. Powerful or not, she was still a peasant and she needed to learn to respect her superiors.

"Please…." Kagome's soft voice seemed to break us both out of our fistless combat. Seyerna looked at Kagome and combed her fingers through her hair, calming her and herself it seemed.

"I apologize, I promised to be civil about this, but if only you could hear the things running through his mind…." I glared at her, but I realized the action was pointless, she couldn't see it anyway.

Sage had remained quiet until now his voice was almost alien after the silence and only Seyerna's voice piercing the tension. He stood up and moved behind Kagome to stand beside Seyerna where he rested his hand on her shoulder before weaving his fingers into her hair. The action seemed strange to me, but I realized it was affection something I hadn't even encountered in life until Kagome.

"Seyerna…." He spoke the name with as much endearment as his actions. "We cannot deny it forever, so perhaps we can come to a solution. We will tell you what you want to know, but it comes at a cost…."

I glared at the human but he never faulted, in fact, he seemed completely unaffected by my presence. I pushed out my aura as a means of intimidation, still he did not shift. Something was strange about this human. "You see, Seyerna has a great number of allies, unfortunately she's extremely protective of them, to the point that she'll do just about anything to protect them from even the menial of threats. This is not a menial threat by any standard, so you can understand why she's so reluctant to speak of it at all. Kagome also understands the threat of this; whether she knows all the details or not, she at least senses the chaos that could be unleashed should the truth come out, thus why even after your abuse she would not speak of it. You know, Lord Sesshoumaru, you probably could have seduced Kagome much easier if you'd gone straight to the source instead of trying to rip it from an innocent the way you did." It didn't matter that he'd shown the utmost diplomacy, or that his words were complete logical, or even that he knew how to respect his superiors, but that he seemed to know just as much about my situation with Kagome as Seyerna infuriated me. Seyerna must have told him and that pissed me off even more; was there no sanctity of the mind with this she-devil?

Seyerna leaned on Sage's leg, "On the contrary, Sesshoumaru, I didn't tell Sage anything. Don't think for one second I could care less about the sanctity of your mind, or the privacy you so desperately crave. I didn't tell him a thing because it wasn't my place too. It is Kagome's life and she may tell who she pleases. I try my hardest not to pry on the darkness in one's mind." She had her eyes closed as she spoke, her voice was soft, much softer than normal; Sage seemed to be able to calm her. "Sage is very observant, per say, he's good at reading between the lines. Do not blame him; he is far nicer than I."

I managed to calm my anger, they didn't want to fight, that was obvious, so the least I could do was hear the worthless human out, he seemed to be the more logical of the two. I nodded to him to continue and he did; "The point of it comes down to this: What will it take to buy you, Lord Sesshoumaru?" To buy me? Was he suggesting Seyerna had anything I could possibly want? He thought he could keep me quiet? It was almost worth laughing at.

The silence stretched between us, Sage must have realized I found his suggestion ludicrous because he finally broke the silence with a sigh. "Lord Sesshoumaru, you must meet us somewhere. Surely you understand we're not just going to let you take Kagome and torture it out of her. What's more we have the answer, and with Seyerna's connections she can make sure you never find the answer without her help, you must realize this? Seyerna's abilities make her an irreplaceable force to all her allies. My Lord, there is much to be gained from being allies with Seyerna. She is no Lord but she has the followers of one." Seyerna scoffed but I caught the slightest tightening of Sage's grip, followed by a slip in his power that up to this point had been non-existent, how offered the slightest glimpse of his white powers. Seyerna never moved, her face never expressed pain, but I know he's shocked her. He kept his woman in line, I could respect that.

Unfortunately, his words were all logic, and he was right, Seyerna would be an asset to the Western Lands, but would she obey me once I'd swept this whole incident under the rug?

"I don't like the word obey, but I will abide by your command within reason. I will not kill innocents. You will have access to my allies, but not if I feel you are sending them to their deaths. You may not have your way with my female allies. You are not allowed to abuse any of my allies or myself sexually, physically or mentally in any way shape or form. I can only promise that my immediate and closest allies will pledge allegiance to the Western Domain. I will not fight the ones that choose not to unless they attack the Western Domain." Seyerna's voice was hard and unforgiving with her words, but she offered a lot. Who exactly was it that killed Lord Raidon? She knew and whoever it was, they were close to her for her to be willing to offer so much. Her face gave away nothing so I was forced to contemplate the words.

There was still one problem with her offer; "There is one more requirement; Kagome must agree to become my mate." I could hear Kagome's sharp intake of breath, even Seyerna's heart seemed to skip a beat, but to my utter astonishment Sage acted as if he hadn't even heard the words. What makes a human as hard as him?

"Kagome, you don't have to do this. You know I will protect you with my life from him…." Seyerna was cut off as Kagome squeezed her hand and kissed the back of her knuckles. More affection that seemed alien to me. Kagome was like this with Naomi too, what was it about Kagome that brought out such affections and kindness in people?

"I wanted to believe it would be that simple, but you can't protect everyone, Seyerna. Like this, we know everything will work out. Everyone will be safe and as your ally he can't abuse me any more under the conditions." Seyerna's eyes looked like they were melting, pain, I realized. Is that what it took to break the great demoness? To make it so she couldn't save everyone? Kagome didn't need to fear me though, as my mate there would be no more secrets and there would be no reason to continue her torture. In time, she would become my willing and ever loving mate.

Seyerna stood up and forced past Sage, leaving the room in a quick angry stride. Her power, for once, was radiating off of her in waves of anger. I grinned before looking back to Kagome and the grin fell away. The eyes that looked at me from beneath her midnight bangs were filled with anger and hate. The stone cup in her hands was shaking; the tea inside sloshing from side to side, in the next moment it seemed to shatter from no apparent cause. It was her power though, her white energy building with anger that shattered the stone. She never blinked even as the tea stained her kimono and soaked her arms.

"I will submit to you, Sesshoumaru. I will become your mate, but rest assured, I will not make this easy…."


	26. Chapter 26

Seyerna had eventually accepted my fate, she seemed more reluctant to accept it than I. I had wandered off and cried for a bit, but after that, I was done, somehow I'd known it would come to this, Sesshoumaru had told me he would take me, so I'm not sure why I was angry, I'd known all along. I just wish I wasn't so afraid of what he might do to me. He'd really scarred me when he tried to force information from me and now I didn't even want to talk to him. He didn't deserve a second chance.

Per the agreement Seyerna told Sesshoumaru about Caim's involvement and him being her son. It seemed to kill a piece of Seyerna as she spoke the words. The tears in her eyes barely held back by her pride. She left after that and I didn't see her till sun down. Only because it killed me to see Seyerna like that did I confront Sesshoumaru, he assured me that as long as I upheld my end of the bargain he would make sure that Caim's life would be spared.

Sesshoumaru spent the night in Seyerna's temple, he'd tried to come in my designated room but Seyerna had stayed awake all night outside my door, her anger apparent in her raging aura. She told him until I was his mate I was still an ally he wasn't allowed to abuse in anyway per the agreement. Sesshoumaru grudgingly did not fight her and went to his room. I was grateful for the peaceful night, I doubted Sesshoumaru would wait long.

The four of us left in the morning, we did not go to Sesshoumaru's palace, I didn't know where we were going but Seyerna didn't seem to think anything was out of place so I didn't ask. We arrived after a four hour walk, I was tired, I hadn't slept as well as I tried to pretend I did. The palace was similar to Sesshoumaru's but quite a bit bigger. There were demons crowded around outside the palace. Sesshoumaru pulled me to his side and had me walk arm and arm with him. All eyes fell on us as we approached, looking back Seyerna and Sage were arm locked as well.

"Kagome…." Sesshoumaru spoke my name softly, I got the impression his words were only for me; "Show your power, you need to make an intimidating impression." I didn't know why but as the demons loomed about I decided I would trust this one statement and pushed out my aura. They backed off almost immediately, taking a step back and looking at me a second time.

"Lord Sesshoumaru!" A male's voice echoed from within the crowd, he weaved his way through. He was an attractive demon with his dark brown hair and orange eyes that reminded me of the flicker of a flame. Approaching Sesshoumaru he gave him a half-bow before his eyes turned to me, "So this is the special maiden! Such a lovely human you've picked, oh but you didn't tell me she was pure!" He grabbed my shoulders and hugged me as if we were long lost friends, but his attention was as quick as a gnat, his head jerking at my shoulder. "Seyerna!" He shouted and ran around us to greet the demoness. "I didn't think I'd ever see you at my palace again! Iupiter didn't know how to treat such a jewel as you!" He went silent for a moment; I knew he was gaging how Seyerna and Sage stayed interlocked. "But alas it seems you've sealed your fate to a human, such a disappointing loss to the demon society. I don't believe you ever bound yourself by law though? Perhaps there's hope for you yet, my little demoness." He laughed and I couldn't decide if his words were threatening or he just didn't realize how much he insulted humans with his comments. He seemed nice enough for the most part.

"Lord Makoto, perhaps we should move inside?" Sesshoumaru spoke, so this was Lord Makoto, another Lord. I tried not to sigh and just stay quiet at Sesshoumaru's side. I'd rather suck in my aura and be invisible, but the demons looked at me like I was food if I didn't threaten them with my presence.

"Yes, yes!" He had his hand on Seyerna's back as he ushered us all inside, many of the demons that loomed outside were not given admission through the front gate with so many guards posted about. We didn't go to meet any other Lord instead we were taken to our rooms, for tonight I was told I would have a private room, but it would be connected to Sesshoumaru's. I hoped there were rules against him doing anything to me before the mating. There was no one to ask for reassurance though as Seyerna and Sage were taken to their own rooms. I wondered if they were allowed to sleep together since they apparently had not made a legal binding, I wasn't sure what that entitled.

Sesshoumaru commanded me to dress, barely gesturing to the wardrobe against the one wall. The room was beautiful with pastel blue tones complimenting Sesshoumaru's dark blue room. It was luxuriously decorated, with rugs, tapestries, finely crafted statues and vases, several pictures, even the small seating area seemed to be over glorified: the pillows had little tassels and the material was a busy brocade. There was a vanity with just as much décor, the mirror framed in wood with detailed relief and the legs of the vanity and the small stool matching with their lion like feet.

Reluctantly I went to the wardrobe, inside were a number of beautiful kimonos I selected a red one to express all my hate, red like the color of my anger. We had a connecting tub room to our rooms that moments prior servants had been diligently running up the stairs to fill with steaming water. I wanted to bathe but I was terrified that Sesshoumaru would come in on me, so I resisted the urge. Instead I dressed quickly nervous he'd walk in on me and just as I was tying the obi he did just that. He was dressed in royal blue with black and white accents where mine was red with black accents.

Sesshoumaru locked arms with me and lead me out of the room and down the way we'd come. He got me lost in the castle. No words passed between us even as we breached the hall into what I'm assuming was a dining hall. There was an interesting table system that created a 'u' shape. Servants walked around the inside of the 'u' serving trays upon trays of unique foods and wines. As hungry as I was my attention was stolen away as on the walls were shackles, familiar shackles. I shivered and that brought Sesshoumaru's attention to me, I refused to look at him though. Just at the bend of the table was Seyerna dressed in a lovely purple kimono and Sage beside her dressed in black, they were tightly pressed against each other. Sage's aura was apparent and dancing about the two. Looking around it was obvious as to why; demons were eyeballing Seyerna, probably because of Lord Makoto's comment about her not being legally bound.

Sesshoumaru led me to them and we sat beside them, I was grateful to be next to Seyerna. I took her hand and she squeezed mine, wordlessly trying to tell me it would be alright. I didn't want to say I didn't believe her even though I knew she heard the thought.

In the next moment to my complete and utter horror InuYasha came stomping in, throwing a fit about nosy demons and hissing about why he'd been threatened into coming here. Why did it matter if InuYasha was here?

"Why would InuYasha be required to be here?" I looked at Seyerna when I spoke.

She frowned a moment, "Let's just say Lord Makoto has an interesting sense of humor…." No kidding, but I didn't get to speak further as InuYasha spotted me and came towards me with his angry stomping stride.

"What the fuck is going on?" But his words weren't directed at me but at his brother. Did InuYasha already know what this was about? About me becoming his hated half-brother's mate? I shivered at the thought, the war that would break lose if he did. I hoped Sesshoumaru didn't tell him, I didn't want this.

"Perhaps you should take a seat, InuYasha. Lord Makoto's palace is, after all, neutral territory." InuYasha looked at Seyerna, scoffed but sat down at Seyerna's request. Sango and Miroku came walking in, their auras concealed and their heads down, trying to be as invisible as I wish I could be. Seyerna and Sage moved down two seats so Sango and Miroku could sit between us. I didn't want them sitting on the end or by any strange demons. Sango hugged me and I squeezed her tight, she whispered in my ear and inquired as to why InuYasha had been so rudely summoned here.

I told her I was sorry but it was too late to change anything, it has already begun. She looked at me strangely but didn't speak; I'm sure she saw the glaze in my eyes. I didn't know what to tell her and besides even if I told her the truth InuYasha was here and I just had this gut feeling that the last thing we wanted to do here was make a spectacle, even Sesshoumaru seemed unnaturally mellow.

Just as the thought crossed my mind Seyerna made a strange squeak from down the way, leaning over the table as everyone else seemed to be doing I caught a glimpse of what was sure to cause a ruckus. Some demon had literally pulled Seyerna from her seat and to his chest, his hands on her body. She snarled at him and pulled away, but her power never flashed, she was desperately trying to pull away without doing anything extreme and thus she failed, the demon holding her fast. When his hand touched her breast all hell broke loose, both Seyerna's and Sage's auras spiked. Sage snaked his arm around his mate's waist and yanked her into his lap, the offending demon almost falling into her lap as he still had his arms on her but Sage wedged his hand between their bodies and shot a wave of his pure energy into the demon effectively burning the demon to ash. The room went silent.

For minutes no one seemed to breathe, Sage held Seyerna possessively in his lap, his arms covering her chest and waist. Raw anger danced across his face, still no words. Another minute and Lord Makoto walked across the hard floor, his shoes almost echoing though they were of the softest of leather. Makoto touched the demon's ashes, staring at them a long moment before looking to Seyerna. His face did not hold that soft playfulness from earlier, instead there was malicious intend behind his seemingly forgiving eyes.

"You've taken a great ally from me…. What is your name, human?" Lord Makoto's voice was definitely not the cheery tone he'd offered us earlier.

Sage never faltered, never blinked and Lord Makoto must have been as frustrated as Sesshoumaru had been. His aura spiked, intimidating me, but not Sage. Finally Sage spoke his name and only his name, that one syllable echoed throughout the room as if the demons couldn't believe he'd actually spoken.

"A price must be paid for the death of this ally, but I see no reason it must be paid with violence." Makoto's smile was unnerving, at least to me, but Sage was like steel, his face betrayed nothing. "You will take Seyerna in…. classic demon tradition using your pure powers to overcome her before the council or Seyerna will take a mate of my choosing but I give her free will over the circumstances of their union." I didn't understand the significance of what he said, I'd seen Seyerna with my own eyes have public sex with Sage, so what's the big deal? Regardless of my thoughts a low rumble of chuckles waved over the room, looking around demons were grinning and snickering.

I couldn't not ask; "What does it mean?"

Sesshoumaru looked down at me, "It means Sage will have to publicly humiliate a very powerful and renowned demoness to keep her." I still didn't know what "classic demon tradition" was but I had a feeling it didn't end well for the woman, it never did.

After Makoto made his conditions clear and everyone had gotten over the obvious humor to it everything seemed to suddenly go back to normal. We ate and discussed politics which I knew nothing about. At one point Lord Makoto came over to Sesshoumaru and asked him if he minded pushing back our date to tomorrow evening. Sesshoumaru seemed oddly passive in agreeing to delay something he'd been willing to fight for. Makoto laughed stating how eager he was to see the demoness crumble to a human's will or abandon her supposed 'love interest.' Makoto seemed confident Seyerna would abandon Sage, but I was just as confident Seyerna would never do as such. But they didn't know Sage's secrets like I did, nor did they see the way they loved each other every day and night.

Hours passed and the moon was high in the sky, I was exhausted and wanted to sleep but just as I went to ask Sesshoumaru if I could excuse myself to bed Makoto announced it was time for Seyerna to choose.

Seyerna stood up, Sage beside her, her face was void of emotions as she answered; "Sage will take me in classic demon tradition; however, if it's all the same to you, I'd like to skip the combat. There's no point in it, I will submit to Sage." The demons around made hushed murmurs all of them wondering why Seyerna would choose to submit to a human instead of accepting a demon mate.

Makoto was obviously not pleased by this turn of events but he couldn't go back on it now, could he? His fists were clenched and I thought I saw his eye twitch. "Very well…. Let us head bellow the activities begin in an hour." His voice was filled with his anger and frustration. Seyerna was obviously supposed to select a mate of his choosing. Perhaps Makoto had wanted her for himself.

Demons headed out of the room in hordes, leaving only the few of us here. Seyerna said she was sorry but that she had to prepared, I assured her I'd be alright and she left me with the brothers.

InuYasha was instantly at my back; "Alright, now that they've cleared out, let's get the fuck out of here. We've wasted enough time. Naraku's getting stronger and we're sipping tea with a bunch of pompous demons!" I didn't realize how annoying his screeching voice was until just this moment. Frustrated I turn to him and handed him the two jewel shards I'd collect that I'd been storing in my breast binding; "Now shut up." He stared at them in utter amazement, dumbstruck it seemed and I didn't wait for him to collect himself to start bitching some more.

Sesshoumaru caught me before I could go far, "Will you tell the boy?" I stared up at him, anger in my heart, but I kept my face clear, my emotions hidden away to where I didn't know. Watching Sage had really made me believe I had a chance at surviving this, he took to the demon culture so nonchalantly.

"No," I whispered, the last thing I needed was for InuYasha to know what would happened tomorrow night.

"Know that what you will see tonight I will not do to you…." I hate that his words made fear course through me and strike my heart like lightning, breaking what I thought had been a full proof façade. His arm rested on my lower back and he squeezed my waist, I think it was supposed to be reassuring but I kept reliving my fall. I'd forgotten about it over the past week, but now being beside him made me see the edge of that cliff and the ground coming towards me at lightning speed. I wanted to break down and cry all over again. Somehow I managed to break away from him and find my way back to my room.

The hour passed far too quickly. The ceiling of the room was not interesting enough for time to pass that quickly, yet I knew my thoughts were and the white roof was like a blank canvas for me to paint all my miseries across. Sesshoumaru had entered my small room and stood beside the bed patiently waiting for me to move. Still I wondered what I would see that Sesshoumaru felt the need to point out he would not do to me. I guess it should be reassuring, but then again I hadn't seen what it would be. Maybe Sage was going to smother Seyerna in affection and Sesshoumaru was telling me he wouldn't do that. I scoffed, somehow I doubted that's what it was, it wouldn't be a punishment if that's what it was.

I relented and stood up, letting Sesshoumaru take my arm and lead me from the room. I was still leery around him, I didn't want to touch him or talk to him, but I was forced to if I was ever going to find answers. "Seyerna's already informed me that the mating has to be… public… for it to be acknowledged legally, but what all does that entitle and for that much what is the classic traditional method Seyerna and Sage are apparently doing?"

Sesshoumaru remained quiet for some time as demons walked past us chattering amongst themselves about what was to come, Seyerna's name kept coming up followed by snickers. When we were alone in the empty hall he answered, "Sex, Kagome, that's what is required for a legal mating." I blushed at his bluntness, staring at the ground. "As for what Seyerna is going to go through… Even I don't believe it's acceptable to do such things publicly. It's one thing if an individual enjoys such activities privately, but in a demon society where image and power is what defines the individual…." He let the words hang and I was starting to dread what Sage would have to do to Seyerna.

"Still today women are often considered objects to be sold and treated as such, but women have come a long way from what it once was. They are still punished and the traditional method is a common means for a male to punish his mate. But rarely is the act used for official matings." I wonder what it would take for him to do it to me. I wanted to growl or huff or something, but I did nothing; just lowered my head and walked to the tune of my fate.

The room he lead me too reminded me of a Roman amphitheater except it was indoors. With as many steps as we'd descended to get here it seemed it was partly underground. It was sculpted in a dark stone and like the rest of Lord Makoto's palace it seemed far more luxurious than the actual Roman amphitheaters. The seating for the audience was cushioned in a strong brocade like the ones in the rooms. A wave of relief washed through me as I noticed InuYasha, Sango and Miroku off to one side, InuYasha was cheering for a fight, I guess he wasn't sure what was happening either. From what I gathered this wouldn't be a fight but a brutal, humiliating punishment.

I'd pulled my arm from Sesshoumaru's to move to my friends hugging Sango, practically leaping across the space to find her embrace. She was so stiff, so uncomfortable among all these demons. I hoped these next two days would go quickly and I hoped the next hour would just disappear cause I didn't want to see this and I know I didn't want to watch it happen to someone I considered a friend.

"Kagome, what's going on? Why can't we leave?"

"I assure you, Lord Makoto's men won't be letting anyone leave for at least another night." Sesshoumaru answered her but his eyes looked at me and I looked away. Would he give it away? I doubted it, but he also thought humans were morons, if he kept talking like that and giving me such looks they'd figure it out all on their own.

"As humans I suggest you keep your heads down, don't speak, but don't ignore a demon when spoken too. Choose your battles wisely, humans, else you'll find yourselves in the pit as well." I wondered why he was giving my friends advice; did he think he could win me? Did he think after all he'd done I'd even consider forgiving him?

I sat down next to Sango; we were in the first row, probably because of InuYasha screaming for a fight. I almost wished it would be a fight, but my gut knew that's not what was going to happen. Sesshoumaru sat beside me and InuYasha instantly noticed that, looking over he growled at Sesshoumaru, but Sesshoumaru didn't even look at him, instead he stared off into the distance. Did he pity Seyerna? Something about his attitude made me think he did, which only made me worry more about what was to come. When Sesshoumaru, of all people, feels bad for something that is to happen to someone he dislikes, it makes a girl squirm.

Women in skimpy costumes appeared from the barred doors within the pit and walked around the rim lighting candles all along their path. It was rather dark, hard for me to make out anything and at the moment I didn't realize how much of a saving grace that would be.

The women disappeared down the dark corridors past the barred doors that remained open. Sage came first from one door, as stoic and unmoving as ever; he was dressed in a completely black robe that hung to the floor. Then Seyerna emerged from the opposite door; she was in a similar robe done in purple it also reached the floor. Instantly I noticed how her hair was shinier and how her cheeks seemed almost plastic, looking back to Sage he had a similar effect. Seyerna walked to the middle of the pit and Sage met her there. No light kissing, no dawdling of time, not even a moment's hesitation. Sage's hands glowed with his white power and my heart jumped, Christ what would he do to her? He pulled her robe open and she let it fall to the floor exposing her completely naked body. Sango gasped beside me and I grabbed her arm, whispering to her not to speak, she barely managed to keep quiet.

Her body looked like it had a sheen as well, obviously she wasn't actually plastic, it seemed like a layer of oil or maybe a thick layer of lotion covered her from head to toe. Her breasts looked like perfect orbs, wet with the coating and shining from the candle's glare, slowly her chest lifted and fell with each breath. Her power was invisible again, how long could she keep it locked away?

Sage took her wrists and he formed those bangles I'd seen him use on her once before, that time he playfully teased her, but this wasn't the same, this time they sparked with angry magic immediately her skin showed the effect, turning red and swelling from the white energy fighting with her dark energy. Her face never showed the pain, how was she supposed to survive this if Sage was going to abuse her with his white magic? Would he purify her?

He raised her hands together and a bubble of white magic formed around her hands, holding them trapped and suspended in midair. Again the magic showed an effect, doubling the pain I'm sure as blood rolled down her forearms, still she made no sounds, and the only expression on her face was the slightest softening to Sage.

Sage moved his hand to her cheek down her neck and over her collar before reaching her breast where he cupped the soft mound and squeezed roughly. There was a tension in Seyerna that broke into a pained groan as Sage's power flared and her breast was left red and swollen. A trail was slowly forming from her cheek to her breast where his hand had touched and the residue of magic was making its appearance. He cupped the other breast and squeezed it as well, his magic making Seyerna groan. He pinched her nipple and Seyerna screamed as his magic pierced into the tender nub.

I squinted my eyes and shivered. Sango's hand touched mine and I realized I was squeezing her forearm; she looked at me with scared eyes. She was a demon slayer, surely she knew much of the demon culture, but did she know of this?

Sage gently and affectionately took all of Seyerna's hair and pulled it over her shoulder, braiding it and letting it hang down the front of her, leaving her back exposed, this terrified me. He made a gesture and a woman scurried from the darkness of one of the doors handing Sage a whip. Oh mercy….

I shivered and gasped when Sage cracked the whip and the end of it sparked and created a confetti effect of his white magic. No… he couldn't do this to her, he was supposed to love her.

The first strike made me feel like I would vomit; the howl that came from Seyerna was enough to make my blood curdle and the instantly bleeding mark made me heave. Sesshoumaru grabbed me and stroked my back, "You must relax…." How could he ask me to relax when Sage was WHIPPING Seyerna!

Another crack and another cry from Seyerna and I shuttered, curling against Sesshoumaru, his arms wrapped around me. I don't even think my friends noticed when Sesshoumaru held me, they were too dumbstruck at the scene before them. Demons behind us chuckled and groaned pleasurable sounds; I almost looked back when Sesshoumaru's hand caught my face and turned me to stare at him, his eyes intense. "Do not make eye contact." He made the rule with such a tone that there were no questions to ask and no room to argue.

I hated myself for looking back into the pit as Sage struck her again, his face completely void of any feeling where Seyerna's was raw with pain. The blood was coursing down her back and arms from pulling against the binding around her wrists.

Sango was shaking beside me as the fourth strike hit. I hugged her and she squeezed me back for all her worth. Tears were in her eyes as they were in mine, this was wrong, this was so, so wrong. Anything Sesshoumaru had done to me was weak in comparison, he was an asshole for doing it, but at least he didn't do this! His whip had left welts not blood!

I felt like the whipping never stopped, I quit counting after ten, and still he continued to beat her. By the time he stopped blood had splashed all over the pit and Seyerna's back was raw? My entire body felt like jello, filled with fear and anguish. I couldn't function, I could barely form a coherent thought past the blood dripping off of her in waves. Was this demon mating? The complete breaking of the woman? The thought didn't even surprise me, demons wanted to be on top, no surprise the men would beat their women into submission too….

He finally quit and I hoped it was over, hoped and prayed. I could not be so lucky. Sage's hands flashed in his power, sparking with white energy. Coming up behind her he trailed his index down her back through the blood and loose skin. Seyerna's scream that followed made my throat clench and my ribs feel like they would cave in from the emotions beating on them. He stopped at her ass and squeezed one helpless cheek, making her whine, I'm sure the pain didn't compare to her back but it still wasn't fair. When he pulled his hand away her ass had a red hand print, but what he did next was just messed up. Using his index he very, very slowly drew an 'S' into the red skin. She cried out as he etched his letter into her ass, the mere touch of his finger breaking the skin and making her bleed more.

When the 'S' was complete he moved around her body, letting his fingers trail across her skin leaving red welts in their wake. The binding holding her hands suddenly disappeared and Seyerna crumbled to her knees, her body unable to hold itself under the weight of the pain. He tilted her head up and bent down to kiss her mouth, she whined, likely from more of his pure power coursing through his lips and into her's.

The stadium was filled and the demons around us were howling and groaning, it disturbed me to realize they were actually getting pleasure from this. Sesshoumaru squeezed me and whispered it was almost over. I hoped so, cause mentally I could take no more.

Sage let his own robe drop, exposing himself, he was not fully aroused and that brought me a sense of relief for Seyerna. But I wondered as a human male abusing his mate what it took for him mentally to have even that much. The purity was gone from his touch as he stroked her hair and ran his hands over her body; she shivered. He started kissing her neck and chest, touching her breasts tenderly being mindful of her wounds. The pure power in his hands had disappeared, he was no longer leaving welts, it was then I realized Sage seemed to be shaking.

He helped her rise and had her lie on her stomach on a stone slab in the pit. There was no foreplay; blood seemed to be their lubricant as he pushed himself into her. There was nothing sexy about him taking her like this but the demons around us seemed to be loving every moment of it; I still felt sick….

Sage's eyes were closed the entire time. Seyerna would whine from time to time as she was shifted into an uncomfortable position. It must have been impossible for him to find a release under these conditions, but likely it was part of the agreement.

Finally he came and he pulled out of her, he was covered in blood that had been rolling form her back and rear. Sage helped Seyerna stand and he did something interesting then. He used his magic to create a barrier between his arm and Seyerna's back as he carried her limp form from the room. This barrier of his white magic didn't seem to harm her as she curled in on Sage and lay panting in his arms.

Demons started to quit the room and I realized I was panting. "Get me out of here." I growled out to whoever was listening. Sango seemed shocked at the sound of my voice. InuYasha started towards me but Sesshoumaru, being beside me, was quicker, I hadn't thought the words through but at the moment I didn't care whose arms I was in. Sesshoumaru picked me up and left the room without question.

Sesshoumaru didn't stop when we were out of the room, not until we were outside did he stop and the fresh air relaxed my twisting stomach. He set me on my feet my I collapsed to my knees.

"Kagome, I would never dream of doing such things to you…."

I wanted to scream at him, instead I managed a voice I'd never manage again: ice, cold indifference; "You think that makes it okay? Sage didn't want to do those things, he cried for her; he shook from how much it tore him apart to hurt her. You, on the other hand, beat me and did terrible things to me all in the hopes I would betray my friend. Not once did you regret, show pity or the slightest bit of remorse. You don't care about me; I'm just a tool to you. You're an asshole and you will not own me no matter how many times you beat me or how many cliffs you shove me off." To my utter amazement I managed to stand up and walk away. Sesshoumaru stayed put, I didn't look back to see if he was angry or not, I didn't care, because even if he was it wouldn't change my mind.


	27. Chapter 27

(AN: Sess has a lot of ass kissing to do XD and ah... Senriya... I rather like that I might have to use it some time. XD *cackles* Actually I'm a pacifist the last chapter made me sick to write. Q.Q Alas! I write on!)

After I abandoned Sesshoumaru last night I spent some time walking through Lord Makoto's gardens, they weren't half as beautiful as Sesshoumaru's. Becoming his mate would make me the Lady of the West wouldn't it? Perhaps the gardens would be mine then; I could find solitude there, peace even. Then there was Rin, I could love her and raise her like my own. Without birth control I was sure to get pregnant quickly, would Sesshoumaru hate our halfbreed children? I hoped not, course I also didn't want to get pregnant, but at least having children would make my life a little less dreary. I would never see my family again. I stopped as the realization hit me, kneeling in the grass before I crumbled. My heart pounded and my throat swelled. There was nothing I could do though, if I ran away Sesshoumaru would turn over Caim and I couldn't do that to Seyerna. I loved her, she was family to me. But my mother, my grandfather, my brother? Would he let me see them? What would be the price? For that much could he get through bone eater's well? I doubted he'd let me see them and I wasn't sure I wanted to take the chance of him being able to go through the well. To save them all I was going to have to give up my own freedom. My tears were not strong enough to reconcile my heart break, I felt like I was falling apart. My world was no longer mine.

After an hour of crying and trying to find some kind of solace in my future I returned to the palace. Demons made a wide girth around me, maybe it was my aura, or the fact that my emotions were as unpredictable as the random beams of white magic that sparked from me, I think that was anger related but I couldn't seem to control it. I followed Seyerna's weak aura to find her room. I didn't even knock when I got to the door; I'd seen enough of these two that I wasn't worried.

They were lying on the bed together; my heart plummeted at the sight of the blood soaked bed. Sage was cradling her to him, his hands gently floating over her back; his power was soft and fluffy, stroking her wounds. Sage's face was hidden under his dark hair carelessly hanging over his face. I hurried to them and dropped to my knees beside the bed, even the floor was getting sticky, I didn't care. My heart was pounding, I just wanted to help her but I didn't know how!

I touched her ankle and Seyerna jumped, her eyes wide and frantic when they met mine and she calmed. It was terrifying that she hadn't even realized I was there, I wasn't hiding in anyway and yet Seyerna's mind was so clouded in pain she didn't even notice me. I rubbed my cheek against her thigh as I felt tears stream down my face.

"Shh, Kagome…. I wouldn't have agreed to it if I thought it would kill me…." I looked up at Seyerna's voice, she was… smiling. How sick and deranged. "Trust me, little priestess, Iupiter did far, far worse things to me…. I'll be healed by sun rise. Please, go to bed and try not to think about it. You only make it harder for me to focus on healing with your tears."

I stumbled to my feet and stood next to her bed, her blood stained the knees of my kimono and I could feel it sloshing beneath my boots. "Isn't there something I can do, please, Seyerna…? I can… I can heal you!" I was crying and choking on sobs but I didn't even know how to begin to stop it and they were making it impossible to control my magic well enough to even attempt any form of healing

Still smiling she twisted enough to touch my hands and when she did I had to wonder whose hand was shaking: her's or mine? "Kagome, you can't heal me, you don't yet know how… Sage is slowly working at healing me, but our powers are clashing, it takes time…. Bring me water and food and then go bathe and head to bed. Kagome, please, this is demon culture, we're durable, I promise everything will be fine." But she winced as she twisted back around.

I did as she requested and got her food and water but I was reluctant to leave, I wanted to help heal her, as the tears cleared enough for me to focus I could see Sage's healing power combating with Seyerna's; he was trying to heal her flesh but her black magic wanted nothing to do with his white magic. Sage never looked up, his aura, I realized, was filled with shame and pain. Seyerna begged me to go and finally I did. I even bathed knowing Sesshoumaru would likely come in on me. To my surprise he didn't, perhaps it was the sound of me crying that kept him away, or maybe there were actual rules that said he couldn't have me until it was time.

I didn't bother to dress, just went back to my designated room and collapsed onto the bed naked. My heart, mind and body all exhausted, even with my thoughts running a mile a minute I managed to fall asleep; but sleep was not kind, my eyelids were burning with nightmares.

As much as I hated Lord Makoto at this moment it occurred to me that he could have killed Sage and let some other demon do what Sage had done to Seyerna. Demon culture seemed to work that way.

A servant intruded in my room this morning, a demoness who was oddly happy about the day, she was the most talkative demon I'd come across. She held out a beautiful white kimono with blue accents out for me, cheering about how it was the ceremonial robe and that today was a celebration of my mating. She treated me like a flower, brushing my hair and being so gentle with the knots; my hair shined when she was through. She did my make up as well painting my eyelids a soft blue. When she was done dressing me and put my hair up in some complicated knot she took me to Sesshoumaru whom was waiting to take me to the hall. Fear tickled through me as I realized InuYasha might know the significance of this, I really hoped he didn't. I was perfectly content with letting him figure it out on his own, which to my sick realization meant he'd watch me and his brother have sex. It was a cruel way to find out, but no worse than me walking in on him and Kikyou, besides it's not like him throwing a fit and possibly getting himself in the pit was going to change the fact. Then again waiting till he finds out tonight in the stadium might cause him to jump into the pit to try to prevent it, the visual was laughable but I knew the actual thing wouldn't be.

Damn it…. "Does InuYasha have to be here for this?" Sesshoumaru must have grown used to my silence as he looked down at me strangely like the sound was foreign.

"Lord Makoto summoned him for this very reason, Kagome. He will not allow him to leave. The only thing I can do is make sure he is guarded so he can't do anything stupid. His presence is out of my control." I was afraid of that, but at least he'd have a guard to stop him before he got himself killed. Of course, no matter what excuse I had he wouldn't hear it; he'd never forgive me after this. The thought made my heart sink and I dropped my head as we continued the rest of the trek to the dining hall.

When entering the hall I realized InuYasha was already there and so I pulled my arm free before he looked in our direction. My heart fluttered the next moment as I saw Seyerna sitting by Sage in the same seats. I all but ran across the hall and slid to the floor to examine her myself. She was laughing as I poked and prodded at flesh that should have been in pieces. In the next moment I wrapped my arms around her and hugged her for all my worth. Seyerna groaned with pain and I pulled back. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean, I'm just…"

Seyerna patted my hand, "It's okay, I'm all bandaged up and not bleeding out anymore, but it's still tender and in the healing process." I nodded realizing I was crying tears of joy, she brushed them away. "Relax, Kagome, everything's going to be alright." Again I found myself wishing I believed her.

Lord Makoto while a sick jerk was a hell of a host, the meals were amazing, he had exotic dancers of all races and music always played and he always seemed to know the right kind to play at each moment. He ushered us all to the pit for a fight, the lighting having been changed from intimate candles to bright torches. Two demons emerged and they fought what I'd consider a fair duel, it seemed almost staged to be completely honest. After what happened in this pit the night prior it seemed alien to see two demons sparing like old friends.

The stadium cleared out and I sat alone for a while, how I managed to slip beneath Sesshoumaru and InuYasha's radar was beyond me. Still I stared into the pit, the night before the ground had been beautiful dark marble but now it was covered in sand, would they brush it away for me and Sesshoumaru's mating? I was having trouble wrapping my mind around the fact that I was going to lose my virginity in a pit where demons fought and my friend had been violently whipped. The blood that looked like it had stained the entire arena had been washed away, there were new sprinkles of blood from the fight but nothing like the blood bath the stadium had endured the night before.

I sat in the room that seemed to get colder and colder, rubbing my arms as tears found my eyes, they were becoming a common occurrence any more. Of course my world had gone from upside down to twisted into knots to inter-dimensional chaos. I was beyond my limits and not sure how or what I was still hanging on too.

A soft foot step caught my attention and I looked back to see Sage coming towards me. He sat beside me and we remained in silence for a long time.

"How did you know I was here?" I finally whispered.

"I pay attention. Demons rely too heavily on their senses, expecting to be able to smell, hear or feel their target. As humans we don't' have that ability so we must pay close attention visually and to trust our instincts, they'll save you more times than naught." Forever a teacher, I smiled at him.

"Was it hard?" His face seemed to crumble at the question, knowing exactly what I was asking. It was the first time I'd seen actual pain on his face.

He stuttered before he spoke, "It killed a piece of me, Kagome…. Seyerna kept telling me that if I didn't Makoto would have worse things done to her if not the both of us. I wanted to deny it, to not do it but she eventually got angry with me and swore if I didn't she'd never forgive me. I know it sounds ridiculous, but at the same time I know she's right, I've seen this kind of thing before, it's not like I haven't been around long enough to see it myself. Not to mention I was there when Iupiter tortured her and I remembered what her body could endure and still function the next day. The sick part is the entire time she was telling me to hit harder or they'd never believe it. Think I was convincing?" He scoffed and chuckled, a cold, painful sound. "I still feel like her blood is on me and it feels so wrong. Yet I'm still worried Makoto will approach us or condemn Seyerna to something worse just for spite." He was shaking slightly and I hugged him, he seemed shocked by the action but tenderly hugged back. Seyerna was this man's world, doing such things to her…. While I still felt worse for Seyerna I can't imagine what it would be like to be forced to abuse your loved one else they'll be faced with a worse punishment.

Seyerna walked in, her steps uneven and oddly loud for her as I looked up I realized there was a slight limp to her. Sage didn't waste a moment, running to her to all but carry her to a seat by me. "Don't look at me like that Sage. I know Lord Makoto far too well to question his orders." Sage still looked like a wounded puppy.

"He seemed so friendly when we first met him." Seyerna scoffed at my comment.

"Makoto is the neutral lord because he's a horny bastard and a coward. One word: Satyr." I stared at her for a whole minute before my mythology class game back to me: in Roman mythology Satyrs were very horny demons that liked to harass and rape nymphs.

"He's a satyr?" I was a little shocked, every day I seemed to find new demons in this era so you'd think I'd get used to it and just accept all myths as plausible, but alas I was still shocked when I came upon a new creature.

"Yes, he's a satyr and a damn sadistic one too. Makoto calls what happened to me the "classic traditional method" because it was the way of things for men to beat their women into having sex with them and thus becoming their mates which once upon a time was more like slavery. First off men never beat women to the extent that Makoto enjoys; it was a matter of submission, once the woman submitted the beating stopped. Makoto's twisted method didn't become popular till his reign about four hundred years ago. Unfortunately it caught on and became rather popular considering how sadistic most demons are. Second, and just to reassure you, women are not treated like slaves anymore, though we still can't decide who our Lords are and as peasants we can't say no to a Lord that wants to lay with us unless we are already legally bound. That's how I ended up as Iupiter's slave. I still wonder if I'd have submitted that first night if he'd have thrown me away." She shook her head, I imagine because of unwanted memories.

Together we helped Seyerna walk back to the dining hall but as we stood at the door she made us both step back: image, it was all about the image. I sighed reluctant to let Seyerna walk unaided. Watching her stiff back, the tension of discomfort and likely a bit of pain made it difficult for me to resist running to her aid.

Sage turned to me unable to watch the scene any more than I. He looked up at me, his eyes hollow and unforgiving; he was receding back into himself. "If you're really going to go through with this, then I advise you not to fight Sesshoumaru. Let him take you; don't test his pride in front of the council. Kagome, for Seyerna's sake, don't give him a reason to hurt you." I hadn't really thought about what I was going to do tonight, I didn't want too, but he was probably right. I couldn't expect Sesshoumaru to allow me to fight him and him not reprimand me, isn't that what last night had been about? Males dominating women? With another glance at Seyerna struggling to kneel down without crying out I knew I'd have to submit, I didn't want Seyerna trying to come to my rescue should Sesshoumaru try to beat me and I certainly didn't want to give Makoto a reason to use another sick means of punishment on her.

The night came far too quickly and to my utter horror my body was getting excited. I kept thinking of the audience and in my own sick mind I was thinking of InuYasha, the darker parts of me eager to hurt him for all the times he ran off with Kikyou. The demons would enjoy watching and I would enjoy being watched. I blushed, damn it, I shouldn't enjoy this, Sesshoumaru was a monster, an asshole and a bloody jerk.

My thoughts were disrupted as an unknown demoness tapped my shoulder and whispered I needed to get ready and to come with her. I looked at Seyerna nervously, she said what I knew she'd say; "You can still back out…." I shook my head and left with the demoness.

I would get to see the rooms beneath the stadium now. It was no surprise to me they were glorious. It was strange to see the sex and combat qualities mixed together; spears and swords on one wall, perfumes and oils on the other.

Four demoness' gathered around me and stripped me naked; in a connected room there was a waiting bath. They bathed me gently and I couldn't help but blush and squirm as they had no hesitation to slide their hands between my legs and over my breasts. They dried me and brushed my hair until it was dry and shined more than I'd ever seen it shine before even with my futuristic products it didn't compare to the treatment they used. I was lathered in a smooth oil from head to toe, they massaged every part of me from my feet to my breasts. They were turning me on and their soft feminine hands were really starting to make my mind foggy. They stretched me out while they continued to rub my body, I swear every joint on me was cracked at least once, by the time they were done the massage I was a pool of jello; could we do this again?

They prodded my earrings, seemingly excited over the fact my ears were pierced, I guess it wasn't common for humans to have pierced ears in this era. They changed out my little rhinestones for beautiful dangling sapphires. They hung a glorious silver necklace around my throat with more sapphires. It wasn't white gold, but it didn't have the diminished look of silver either, I didn't recognize the beautiful metal, it seemed almost too white to be anything I could name. They continued to adorn me with more jewelry. They put three rings on me, one of them had a sapphire, the other two had pearls. A loose chain belt was wrapped around my waist that hung rather sexily on my hips, an anklet clasped on each ankle that had a connecting toe ring with more shimmering silver chains, all of them sprinkled with small pearls and sapphires.

They stood me before a mirror so I could see my naked self done up with all the jewelry. I blushed at my reflection, I looked like a sultry mistress; I kinda liked it. Next was make up, sitting me down in a huge chair while they painted my eyelids with a curious shimmer that reminded me of moonstone, my lips received a light pink tone that was barely a tone darker than my natural lips, but it made them look wet. The finished look was an amazingly sexy look, I felt like a harem girl and I don't mean that in a bad way. The oil on my skin that seemed to shimmer under the candle light made me feel more graceful than I knew I actually was. The atmosphere and attitude of the entire ensemble made me sway my hips a little more and walk a little more fluidly, maybe there was something in the oils, but I doubted it; I knew enough about women and sex appeal to know that when a girl wears lingerie under her jeans she walks a little more sexily cause she feels sexy… and I felt pretty sexy.

Two of the demoness' unfolded a robe for me to see, it was a pristine white with an embroidery of a blue crescent on that back – Sesshoumaru's family mark. I wonder if humans adopted the family crest concept from demons. What's more I wondered why I was thinking of it when I was about to lose my virginity. They slipped the robe up my arms and pulled it to overlap over my stomach, tying a perfect bow in the front.

"You're such a lucky human. You'll become a powerful human being mated to a demon Lord, and he's so handsome! Such a kind demon he is too. You'll be beautiful draped across his arms. There's something so adorable about a demon Lord as great as Lord Sesshoumaru taking such a petite and soft human girl." The demoness was smiling, her eyes were violet and her hair was a platinum blond. I recognized this demoness as the same one who'd dressed me in the morning. Something was strange about her power, it was lavender but something seemed to be holding it, trapped inside of a shell of magic, what was that? I wish I knew more about magic, maybe that would explain things like this moment or the moment with Naomi when I'd realized our auras meshed together.

They started to urge me out the door but I twisted quickly and made eye contact with the violet eyed demoness, "What is your name?" I whispered and she stared at me as if she just now realized I knew she was alive.

"Ai…" She whispered back a gentle smile on her pink lips. I would meet this woman again….

For as sexy as I felt my graceful stride had turned into shaking stumbles to the open door. The sand had been brushed away, there wasn't a bed but there were pillows and fluffy fur blankets. I couldn't step without soft fur or silk fabric rubbing against my toes - that had all the callouses rubbed off of them, they were amazingly sensitive to the softness beneath them. The room had a messy look to it but at the same time it seemed to work in a rather sensual way, each blanket or pillow flowing into the next object; the colors all done in shades of blue with accents of white and black. I looked up to see Sesshoumaru his robe was a matching white, he stood in the middle waiting for me to tip toe my way across the sea of fabric and fur and hopefully not stumble and fall on my face in the process.

When I was feet from him he held his hand out to me, it seemed so harmless, so easy it would be to fall into his arms and let him take me away on the waves of pleasure, but my mind was still reluctant. I looked up and my eyes met InuYasha's, he was terrified - a look I wasn't familiar with seeing on his face - beside him was Seyerna, and Sage; several guards sat behind him obviously Sesshoumaru's personal guards, did InuYasha even realize he was being guarded? Sango was nervous and Miroku seemed confused. None of them were prepared for what they were about to watch. My eyes returned to Seyerna, she seemed defeated, I know she hated that she had to let me do this, she'd been prepared to give her life to Sesshoumaru if it would keep him from forsaking her son, it's too bad the one thing Sesshoumaru wanted was me. In fact, I was certain if we'd asked Sesshoumaru what he wanted up front instead of making an offer, Seyerna wouldn't have had to agree to follow his command at all, I was the only thing he wanted. I don't know why, but I knew I was the key to peace.

I took his hand and he gently pulled until I was standing less than a foot from him, I couldn't help but stare at the ground, wishing for sudden deafness, terrified of the sounds my friends would make. He pulled the small bow at my waist, letting it loosen and the two ends fall causing my robe to hang open. Could he taste my fear? Hear my heart beat? I knew he could smell my arousal.

His fingers grazed my chin and my next action was faster than I could process, his hand suddenly grasped in my little one, staring up at him with what I knew was panic. "Please…." I whisper, "Don't make me look at them…." His eyes were soft, almost hurt, but that couldn't be. Still, he shook his head so softly the action was surely invisible to the audience.

His hands glided inside of my robe and wrapped around my waist in such a way that the robe stayed on my shoulders, still hiding my nakedness, still avoiding the moment I feared. He picked me up and his other hand went beneath my rear. 'Do not fight him' I repeated to myself and so I spread my legs so he could press my body against his, my thighs on either side of his ribs. He let me slid into place, his warm calloused hands finding their way up my back, rubbing the tension from my shoulders. As I moved down him, he did not let me escape the awaiting kiss, my mouth descended onto his and the kiss was soft, sweet almost. He tasted me with gentle affection, stroking his tongue against my lips.

The gasp in the audience was unavoidable, I knew whose it was and I really wish I didn't. Already I could feel the tears of shame on my face, how could I do this to him? Even knowing I'd wanted to hurt him on some level, this wasn't me; I never actually wanted to hurt him, not like this. Still I didn't pull away from the kiss I didn't fight. I didn't even want to look up to see the betrayal on his face, for that much I didn't want to know what was being done to keep him from screaming.

Sesshoumaru slowly kneeled, so tenderly he shifted me down till I lay on my back, the robe hung open and I didn't bother to close it, it would seem ridiculous, I was about to have sex in front of them, what difference did it make if they saw me naked? I was too nervous to move from the position he laid me in, too scared of the emotions that would be on my friends' faces.

The pillows beneath me were as soft as they looked, I felt like I meshed into them with the way they cradled me. Sesshoumaru crawled over me, kissing the naked skin sending chills of delight through me. It wasn't right to be watched by friends while doing something so intimate and yet that very thought almost made me moan. There was no grin on Sesshoumaru's face, no sparkle of triumph in his eyes, just raw sensuality, he'd wanted this for so long, and so had I until he'd tortured me. My body didn't seem to care about the logic that I'd spend forever with this man, that he might torture me further, all it cared about were his hungry eyes on my naked skin.

When his mouth touched my breast I arched and the soft coo that came from me seemed inhuman. His tongue slowly circled my nipple though it already stood erect from the audience's eager eyes. The soft bites he pressed into my chest left the slightest red imprints, and they made me whine from the pain. I didn't want to be so turned on by him but my body would hear none of my pleas. He bit my nipple and pulled softly; I cried out and arched up to him. At some point my hands had found his thick silver hair, pulling him closer to my chest. Taking the entire peak into his mouth he sucked and lashed his tongue against it. I trembled as his hands moved across my body, rubbing my stomach and sides, being mindful of his claws as he squeezed my hips before drawing my legs up to encompass his ribs. I locked my ankles behind his back and raised my hips; his robe having fallen off his shoulders let me press my sex against bare skin, the contact made me purr. I couldn't believe how wet I already was.

I kept my eyes closed, not wanting to see anyone's face I knew. Sesshoumaru was a different lover than what I knew him to be, not demanding or forceful but gently persuading me into submission with his merciless tongue and hands. He knew just where to squeeze or lick and the actions would always make me shutter. My heart was pounding in my ears and it was growing near impossible to keep my eyes closed, desperate to see the man that made my body purr. His fingers found themselves knotted in my hair, tilting my head to the side so he could kiss and suck on my neck, how sensitive such a strange spot was. I pressed my chest into his grinding my soft breasts against his hard chest. His tongue on my ear and the soft whispers of sin were driving me mad, he could have me, just don't make me wait anymore. I could feel my body trembling with desire, writhing beneath him as he explored every inch of skin.

His mouth found mine just as his fingers found my nether lips, the feather like touch made me cry out, I felt like I could orgasm from those torturous touches but I knew that wasn't the case. He stroked me so softly, unable to close my legs with him between them and not sure I wanted too, craving the tease and dreading it in the same breath. I let my tongue dance with his, giving over to the pleasure he brought me, realizing that if I had nothing else in this life, I would never be without physical pleasure and at the moment that's all I could ever want.

He pulled my nether lips apart and gently petted my clit with one finger, using the same soft touches. I trembled and struggled just to stay still afraid any motion would disrupt the divine feeling. When his index pushed into me I squeezed for all my worth, trying to will myself to orgasm to no avail. He kissed my ear while slowly sliding his finger in and out of me, "Fear not, Kagome, you will see the stars…." I opened my eyes then, finding his eyes like molten lava, staring at me with such intensity and such emotion that I'd never seen there before. He kissed my mouth and we did not close our eyes, but with partially lidded eyes watched the passion dance through the other's eyes. A second finger pushed into me and I was forced to close my eyes with the moan that was muffled between our mouths. He started slow, sliding his two fingers into my core, pushing as deep as he could before pulling out, after three gentle strokes he wedged a third finger into me and I felt like he pulled me apart but at the same time the thick full sensation was maddening. I realized I was rocking my hips with the motions of his hand. His mouth was on my jaw and I found myself desperate for air, I couldn't get enough of it between my moans and pants. So close.

He pulled his hand free from my womanhood and I whimpered from the loss, raising my hips, inviting him to take me. As he moved again and lifted himself just enough to press his tip against my sex he began gently rubbing at the entrance teasing me further. I'm not sure what he was waiting for. "Take me…" I whispered, opening my eyes to see his face, the gentleness found there was alien to me, but not undesired. He raised my hips and slowly pushed, my body fought against the intrusion, so much thicker than his fingers, I wasn't sure how to handle it, so I lay perfectly still and hoped it didn't hurt. He was so fluid in his motions, so slow and careful there was no pain, a discomfort from feeling completely full, but that discomfort soon turned into desire as he seemed to fit me so perfectly, filling a hole I hadn't realized was there. Squeezing the thick intrusion with my womanly muscles he groaned and dropped over me, his arms shaking on either side of me as I realized that was it; I'd lost my virginity, but pain never came.

The kiss then was hungry, desperate for me but I'm not sure what he wanted me to do. I kept squeezing and releasing him and with each squeeze he'd groan and purr into my mouth. It was such a delicious sound coming from my demon lord. I feared moving anything other than my inner most muscles; afraid the pain that was preached about upon losing one's virginity would hit me and ruin the moment. "Stop… that…." He barely growled out and I realized it was the squeezing; it was an effort to relax myself for squeezing him felt so good.

Several moments we sat in that position, both of us panting. His hands snaked behind me, one of them grabbed my ass the other cradled the curve of my back; carefully he lifted me and rolled us over so I sat on top of him with his member deep inside of me. The position seemed to drive him deeper in me, though I didn't know there was any more room for him to go too. His hands rested on my thighs, while he struggled to regain himself. "Do not torture me, Priestess…." He was growling the words but it wasn't a threat, more a desperate plea.

I pushed my knees into the pillows to ground myself and his hands wrapped around my hips, helping me to learn the rhythm. Rising up was awkward but his hands helped me move, helped me feel the pleasure from the action I was so new too. When he let me slide back down I howled unprepared for the new sensation it caused. Though his hands helped raise me up and then down it was ultimately my body that made the action, my power. I was flush from heat and pleasure and from the realization that I was in control. With each motion I became a little more fluid, raising my hips and sliding back down, working my legs to control the speed and rhythm. When I became completely fluid in my motions his hands stopped aiding me, moving so his thumb could touch my clit while I moved on him. I almost screamed when his thumb brushed the nub, it felt like I was going to melt, like my body was on fire and I was in a downward spiral of bliss where the ground was I didn't know. His thumb pressed harder, his actions rough, and my body was sucking up every ounce of it. My actions became frantic, moving quickly, but somehow subconsciously keeping the perfect flow, the perfect rhythm to drive my body over the edge. I moaned out my orgasm, my own voice echoing in my head. I was trembling as I slowed to a stop and sat shaking on his hips.

I didn't get a chance to recuperate for the next moment I was on my back again. He was still hard and filling me and my body was shaking from the sensation of my orgasm. The afterglow was enough to make me mew, but the continued sensation had me frantic to escape and yet desperate to stay for more. He never gave me a moment to breathe, his mouth all over me, one moment kissing my mouth with all his passion the next moment licking and sucking on my nipples till I wanted to scream at him. All the while he managed to slowly rock in and out of me, how could he keep going like this! It was maddening and still I wanted more, wanted this delicious torture to go on forever.

He raised my thighs so my calves were at his shoulders, it seemed like an odd position but it gave him all the control. I was completely unable to move my hips while he rocked in and out of me, pushing deeper and hitting that perfect spot inside of me. Oh, I wanted to rip my hair out! The more he moved the faster he went, moving far faster than I could have kept up with anyway. Each thrust hit my g-spot and I shuttered each and every time. I couldn't take this, it was so intense, but it didn't matter I couldn't form coherent words in my passion, not that I wanted it to stop anyway. I howled when I orgasmed this time an animalistic sound drawn on by the waves of pleasure that felt like lightning each time he struck my g-spot they were impossible to ride out, they controlled me and made it so I couldn't function past the pleasure.

He prolonged my orgasm until I heard myself screaming, his mouth muffled the piercing sound, kissing me frantically, no mercy in the bruising action but I was too busy in the stars to register anything but his maleness deep inside of me. When he came I could feel the hot liquid inside of me, still he kept moving, thrusting into me until there was nothing left of either of us. Finally he came to a slow stop and for several moments he stayed still, he was panting, I barely noticed his bangs that brushed against my forehead were wet. Slowly he pulled out of me the thick liquid of his desire making it easy for him to slide out of me and yet that simple action made me cry out, my body so far past its limits.

It took minutes before I realized he wasn't on top of me anymore. I don't even remember putting my legs down, but my body was still trembling from the effects. I was cradled against his chest, the robe still hanging onto my arms, damp with sweat and desire. I didn't resist him, merely closed my eyes and curled closer into his chest, listening to his heart beat pounding like a drum. His arms that so easily encompassed me reminded me of that feeling of safeness I found there, I couldn't remember at the moment why that didn't seem quite right. My body had become a slave to his touch, and my mind corrupted by his passion. There was no denying the control he had over me.


	28. Chapter 28

I wasn't any more comfortable with InuYasha watching our coupling than Kagome was, but the moment InuYasha stood up to react Seyerna had grabbed his arm and whatever her power had done at that moment I do not know, but I was grateful for whatever method she used to keep him calm regardless. Kagome had already been nervous and reluctant; if InuYasha had caused a scene I'm certain I would have lost her to hysteria. Nevertheless, she melted to my will like warm honey. I was… delighted. The only thing that could have made our mating better was if InuYasha had not been there. What's more, that virgin scent of her's that had initially drawn me to her; I'd wondered what kept demons faithful when virgins were about - now I knew. My scent mixed in with Kagome's made me feel even more possessive; her power had meshed with mine so smoothly like it was always meant to be that way. Her power did not reject the intrusion instead they blended into a new flavor of divine sex appeal that was sure to drive me mad in a matter of weeks if not less.

She was reluctant to move when it was over, so was I, but knowing the way of things and not willing to test what Makoto would demand if we didn't move I scooped her up into my arms and carried her out. She was curled into my chest in such a way that made her seem even smaller. Her bangs covered her eyes so I could not read her emotions, though her aura was loose - it seemed mellow - perhaps it was paranoia that made me believe there would be anger in her eyes. I brushed it off as being the familiar angle to when I'd made my demands to Seyerna, the look then, the way her eyes had been filled with anger and shrouded by her dark bangs. She'd looked like a mysterious hellion and I'd never wanted to conquer her more than at that moment, though I still thought back with pride when she'd tried to purify me, successfully paralyzing me for hours.

We ran into no one as I returned to the room lent to me, I didn't believe we would, they were still filing out of the stadium; hopefully Seyerna would keep InuYasha distracted at least for the night. I laid Kagome on the large western style bed, her eyes met mine but I did not recognize the emotion in them, she did not seem to be in her own body. Perhaps it was acceptance? But that's being optimistic, the void look in her eyes seemed distant, would she truly hate me for this? Is this not what she had wanted only two weeks past? Yet she was not the same woman, she was cold to me and I did not like it.

When I reached to stroke her hair she closed her eyes but turned away from me, curling so she lay in the fetal position facing the window. She was not sleeping, nor did she keep her eyes closed, instead she watched the moon. Without a word passed between us I climbed into the bed beside her, wrapping my arm around her waist and pulling her too me, she did not resist, but nor did she shift and fit herself into me as she once had.

We lay awake for hours, her breathing never reached the evenness of sleep, but never did it become erratic either, merely a soft in and out; nor did her aura ever change, just existed. Every now and then I could see her thick black eyelashes meet her cheeks only to float back open.

It was a full moon, the full intensity of its brightness shining through the one window. Was it keeping her awake? I was accustomed to only getting two or three hours of sleep but I was certain humans needed much more. I had managed to lie perfectly still beside her, making sure I did not disrupt her should she fall asleep. She did not seem any closer to falling asleep than when I had first laid her down though.

Finally I gave in, "Is it keeping you awake, Kagome? I can close it." I offered but she did not respond for the longest time, then she slowly shook her head no. It was irritating but I was not angry with her, curious and dare I say it? Worried.

I laid back unsure what else to do and committing myself to just fall asleep when the salty smell of her tears caught my attention. Her tears loomed around her on a constant basis since I had persuaded her into becoming my mate. I knew she was reluctant, scared even, but I had been certain once she'd felt the pleasure I could offer her she would relax and even enjoy her position. I understand the torture I put her through had been harsh and cruel and she did not fully understand the necessity of it, but I was at a loss as to how to teach her. Was that the problem? Would she ever look past it and realize I had no desire to have committed it in the first place?

I felt myself sighing before I could stop the pointless action, Kagome stiffened, had she thought I was asleep? "Why do you cry, my mate?" She remained tense and shook her head again. Getting frustrated, my patience finally wearing thin I picked her up and laid her on top of my chest. Tilting her head up so she faced me I watched the silent tears rivet down her cheeks, the moonlight made the paths of tears undeniable. Her lovely blue eyes that once made me feel like I was drowning now pierced me like dark ice, anger and pain all twisted together in a wicked brew that made my heart jump with an emotion I did not like to feel.

"What does it matter? You don't care. I keep trying to understand why you did this, why me? It's not like you actually love me. I'm not particularly powerful nor am I outstandingly beautiful so it's not like I'm a trophy. You've abused me and taken advantage of me and now you've blackmailed me into mating you. I'll never see my family again, InuYasha will never forgive me, and I get to live the rest of my life with someone who could care less about me. Lucky you, you'll out live me and get to find someone else. Maybe it's just another sick form of torture to you, keeping me bound in this arrangement knowing there will be no happiness for me but in fifty years or so I'll pass on and you will have had your fun with me." I don't believe her voice was ever colder or more piercing than it was at that moment. What happened to the petite woman who hours prior had been writhing in pleasure beneath me? And why did this affect me so much? No, I do not love her, demons do not believe in love, it doesn't exist, a silly emotions for humans to throw at each other for reasons I cannot comprehend. So, why did I want her? There was hundreds of demoness who would throw themselves at my feet, who wouldn't be crying right now either. Was she powerful? Without a doubt, but was she the most powerful? She'd managed to bind me, but why did that appeal to me so much? I could have a demoness who rivaled me in combat, it wasn't likely Kagome would. Kagome was definitely beautiful, but in my experience almost all women think less of themselves than what they actually deserve when it comes to physical appearance. None of this helped me though, how was I too sooth my weeping mate?

One step at a time; "I do not feel love, Kagome. Demons do not share such feelings." She scoffed at me and I could not figure out why that comment amused her.

"Tell that to Seyerna and her love for Sage. If you had just seen the way they love each other, there is no doubt the emotion that is between them. If I had never seen love before them I am certain now, without a doubt, that it exists and what Seyerna and Sage have is the epitome of it." She turned her head away from me; I could not argue something I did not understand. No, I did not believe love existed, but that does not mean I'm going to argue someone who believes in it, those that believe themselves in love see nothing else. It was a weak emotion and it would only get me killed.

"All I can say is that I do not personally know the emotion and I do not believe in its existence." She did not raise her head from my chest so I tried another method. "Kagome, you must know that when I mated you I bound myself to your family as well. They are welcome at the palace even to take up a permanent residence if you desire. You are Lady of the West now, the palace grounds are yours to roam and explore. I would not have chosen a weak woman that would crumble at the throne. I chose you because you are strong, spiritually and by force of will." That was it… that was it, wasn't it? Her will? She put of a fight even when the odds were multiplied against her. She never backed down and her loyalty was unmatched. She stood up to me; she endured ridiculous cruelties from me… someone who should have been her ally….

I would never admit to having done something wrong, I still believe the torture was necessary and I would have kept at it if she had not escaped me. Alas, she had escaped me and I was glad I did not have to keep at it, it was not something I enjoyed doing to her.

I was at a loss; she continued to cry so softly, making no noise but the slightest sniffle from time to time. I stroked her hair, running my claws down her back, she stiffed but relaxed moments later, though her tears never stopped. "You please me, Kagome, more than any being I've ever been in the presence of…." The words fell out and I felt her body got ridged. Slowly she wiggled off of me and curled away from me again. I did not fight her, though her crying never stopped all I could do was hope she would eventually fall asleep for I would never be able to rest with the smell of her tears in the air.

I had managed to escape the room without waking her, I know we had slept in, but it was acceptable considering we had mated last night, it was the only time Lord Makoto found it acceptable to be late. The dining hall was filled, even InuYasha was there, he looked to be shaking but Seyerna was beside him holding his hand and seemed to be whispering something to him. I'm certain he was furious and still being distracted by Kagome's words from the middle of the night I did not have the patience to try to calm any waters between us. The moat that Kagome had built between us would come first.

I found Lord Makoto and informed him my mate was still exhausted and requested a meal be brought to my room. He made some perverted remark and assured me he would send a servant. Makoto kept talking and before long the conversation turned to Seyerna, it was obvious now that he had expected Seyerna to turn away from her human so he could mate her. Seyerna could have earned a title surely she knew of Makoto's desire for her? And yet she chooses a human? What could drive a demoness in her place to do such a thing? She could have avoided all the pain, could have gained power and a name, when once demons sneered at her they would be forced to bow to her. Was Kagome right? Did Seyerna love Sage and was love actually worth enduring that kind of pain? The demons that saw that would think her weak; the word would spread and before long Seyerna's name would be ruined. But that wasn't right at all, that is not what demons were saying. They were whispering about the pain she endured, curious as to how she survived so much purity without being purified. In fact, I was rather curious myself. Did I think her weak for picking a human over a demon lord? Oddly… no, if anything I admired her loyalty to the human.

Makoto continued to ramble on about Seyerna and seemed to be plotting about how to steal her away from Sage. That seemed so very low. Finally, I broke his train of thought: "Seyerna's loyalties are pledged to me, she is to become my Warlord." The gasp across the room made me realize what I had said. I seemed to be talking a lot lately without fully thinking anything through. A glance over my shoulder assured me Seyerna knew what I just said and her eyes were wide even if they saw nothing – I wondered if it was a forced action, habitual or an involuntary reaction. Still I knew Seyerna would be a key asset in any sort of tactical situation, her ability to read mind and her abnormal thought process made her read between the lines.

Makoto shut up, having nothing else to say and finally now realizing he had lost Seyerna for good he walked away. Good, I did not much care for the demon. Seyerna would remain in my palace out of Makoto's grasp… damn it, I might be warming up to the woman. I left the hall before I could think further on the situation.

Returning to the room I could hear Kagome and I assume the servant sent to bring her food chattering nonsense. There was an idea; surrounding Kagome with people who amuse her might soften her. Who was this woman? And how was I to go about obtaining her contract? I waited outside the door; Kagome was soft spoken, talking about her family and how she feared she'd never see them. The demoness knew enough about mating to point out that Kagome's family would most likely be welcome in the palace. Kagome insisted that she'd never see them again, though she did not explain why. Kagome requested the demoness share the evening with her, that she wanted her to meet Seyerna. What had Seyerna done to win Kagome over so easily? She'd known the woman for a very short time, of course intimately I had known her roughly the same amount of time, but Kagome treated Seyerna like family, where as I seemed to be nothing to her. Still I couldn't figure out why this bothered me. I had her, I could use her body to my will and make nothing more of it than sex, but that wasn't enough to sate me, I wanted more; I just didn't know exactly what it was I wanted.

I walked in and the demoness jumped at my arrival, curious that she had not smelled me outside the room; I thought nothing of it though. She bowed deeply, her platinum hair hiding her face even when she stood back up and scurried out of the room fear dancing off of her. It made one wonder how Kagome does what she does. Most demons tread on fear or mystery, they use that to their advantage, Kagome seemed to use kindness and comfort breaking everyone to her will and she doesn't even realize it. Instead of her targets being terrified of her they conform to her kindness in hopes of… what? What did they think this kind human would offer them? Perhaps they did fear her purification powers, but somehow I doubted it, that's not what creatures saw in her.

"You will need to make an appearance before you go to your private meal with Seyerna and the servant." It was a bad attempt at making conversation and as I stood here rolling the words around in my head I realized I had never had to make proper conversation, Kagome was the first person I actually 'wanted' to talk to.

"I realize this." Kagome's voice was unmoving, cold as ever, her eyes met mine through the mirror on the wall, as icy as her voice. "Seyerna has already informed me of such. I will be heading down shortly." And that was it, she offered no more of her mindless chatter, her never ending curiosities seemed to be stunted in place of preferring not to speak to me at all. There was nothing to be gained with this. I took the two strides across the room and pulled her off her chair lifting her in the air, her body so light she was easy to hold up. There wasn't fear in her when she looked down at me, there never was, this was part of what I enjoyed about her.

I took her mouth but she lay unresponsive, pushing on I stroked her lips with my tongue, still she remained docile. Pushing her against the wall and squeezing the backs of her thighs to keep her suspended only then did she whine softly. Kissing down her jaw and sucking at her pulse, feeling the soft beat grow faster I rubbed up her inner thigh, loving how she squirms to escape only to find herself trapped. Her pleasure became undeniable and I bit her lip roughly only to pull back, "You are mine, Kagome."

Those were not the magic words; "Yes, you seem to enjoy making the point clear to me over and over." She fell limp again obviously fighting with the desire in her body, each bit at her neck she tightened and stiffened more, resisting the moans I could feel building in her throat. When she did not break I slowly let her slide to the floor, there was the slightest shake to her knees but she hid it well.

"Kagome…." I whispered her name. I wanted her to bend to me but I wanted her to do it because she enjoyed it, because she desired and wanted me; but there was more to pleasure than physical lust and I should know that by now.

I let her walk away from me, her back stiff as a board. She stopped just before she exited the room turning to me, "If you think you'll ever get a repeat of last night, you're wrong. You will have to beg me before I submit willingly." The words caught me off guard and I did not get a chance to stop her before she escaped the room, of course, after she had left I did not know what I would have said to her anyway.

I was shaking when I left, my hands felt like globs of sweat. When I made my comment I was sure he'd slam me into a wall or… throw me out the window, hahah. Sick humor; but I didn't seem to have much else going for me. I hated that he could turn me on, I wanted to deny it and fight it but his hands were the devil!

I sighed as I walked alone down the hall, InuYasha would be waiting and I'd have more heartache on my hands. I asked Seyerna to be around when I finally faced him, moral support I guess. She told me what she did at the stadium, though she wasn't very detailed merely said she kept him calm and I knew she'd used something besides a death glare to do it. I would inquire later when I introduced her to Ai; maybe Seyerna would know what was up with Ai's curious power.

I stepped out into the gardens, I'd had Ai request they go to the gardens, though I tried to express I didn't want them to know that I had made the request, I was afraid they wouldn't show up if I asked them. From the palace door I could see the three of them grouped together by the edge of the forest, they seemed awkward in their motions, Sango was rubbing her elbow, Miroku kept leaning from foot to foot, and InuYasha stood with his arms crossed stiff as a board, none of them spoke a word. Seyerna showed herself to me for the briefest moment, before disappearing in a tree top, strange how it didn't seem the trees moved much, not any more than the wind pushed them anyway. I wanted to do the things she did, what did it take to get that good?

I sighed realizing I was stalling and forced myself to take the first step, shaking I made the second, and the third one I could hear the grass crunch under my feet and that means so could InuYasha. I stood for a moment, terrified to look up, waiting impatiently for the screaming to start.

"Kagome!" I looked up at Sango's panicked voice. She embraced me before I really got to diagnose Miroku's or InuYasha's expression. "Why didn't you tell me you were in love with him?" My heart must have fallen out of my chest and plopped across the ground because the next moment I was shaking and heaving in tears. Of course, Sango would always love me, she accepted me even when I screamed about how I wanted to kill Kikyou. She squeezed the life out of me and still I felt myself shaking in her arms, my hands too rattled to give a true hug in return.

Minutes passed before I calmed enough to form coherent words, Miroku had stepped up and was rubbing my back – for once not in a perverted way. "It's… not like that. I don't love him…." Damn it, Kagome, stop crying!

I couldn't form the next words but Sango's curiosity pressured me on, "Then why?" She inquired softly, still holding me loosely in her arms. "Your demon friend Seyerna explained the mating to us but she didn't say why. I assumed you loved him, as unlikely as it sounded, it was the only conclusion we could make…."

"I didn't have a choice. I don't know why he wanted me, but I had too to protect a friend…. I can't explain it here; it's too sensitive of a topic." And not mine to tell… I thought looking up to see Seyerna's eyes peering down at me from a distant tree top.

"So what does this mean?" Miroku asked in general, not really directed at me, though I answered anyway with a shrug. I didn't know.

I managed to clear the tears enough to see InuYasha he was staring at me with such intensity I thought I might melt from it. The darkness in his eyes was foreign to me, but then I realize what it was: betrayal. The knot in my throat grew wider, slowly suffocating me for the heinous acts I've committed and the pain I've caused such a good friend.

"InuYasha…" I whispered, wiggling free from Sango. As I stepped towards him he turned away and walked into the forest. I knew it, I knew he wouldn't hear anything I had to say, he'd never forgive me, but…. "InuYasha! Please!" What would I tell him though? I couldn't go screaming about Caim and Lord Raidon. He continued to walk away.

I went to run after him but I felt warm arms wrap themselves around me, black hair flowed around my shoulders and encompassed me in its dark embrace. She held me tight as I cried. "I'm so sorry, Kagome…." Seyerna whispered to me, her lips against my cheek as she desperately tried to comfort me. "This is all my fault… you should have never found out…. If only I'd read the signs…."

I pushed away from her, "Don't ever say that again, Seyerna." I tried to be angry but it was hard to show any form of anger between the tears that I couldn't seem to stop. "I didn't have to know to be willing to protect you…." I reasoned, though my body seemed to shake violently.

I'm not sure what it was that made me think I'd be able to function well enough to have a friendly tea party after all this; I scoffed at my own thoughts. I was kneeling on the ground my heart pounding, each beat sending a hammer of pain crashing down onto my chest. I thought I had overcome my tears, but I couldn't counteract this horror. I lost InuYasha; no, I didn't love him anymore, but he was still a valued friend and I had betrayed him. In helping one friend I had harmed another.


	29. Chapter 29

InuYasha didn't return to Lord Makoto's palace and no one seemed to miss him though Sango and Miroku spoke of him only to reassure me that he would come around, while I really, really hoped so, I doubted it. Sesshoumaru did have the decency to, well, not exactly invite, but he did inform Miroku and Sango they were allowed to follow us and take up residence in his palace if it pleased me. He also seemed to have bought Ai as she had been utterly confused when Lord Makoto told her she was to go with us back to the Western domain. She didn't have a lot of belongings but what she did have were strapped onto Aun's back. The trek to Sesshoumaru's palace was the most god awful, most awkward seven hours of my life.

Seyerna and Sage followed behind us, they didn't utter a word, in fact, if I didn't look back and check them every hour I'd swear they were ghosts. Sango, Miroku and Ai crowed around me as if they thought the demons would attack them if they strayed too far from me. Sesshoumaru and Aun walked in front of us, Sesshoumaru's personal guard surrounded the group at a distance, melding into the forest.

Back at the palace they were all given their own rooms, actually I was surprised he'd given Seyerna such a lavish room, I was under the impression he disliked her. I met Tsumi formally and she laughed at my excessive apologies telling me that as a servant she tried to be invisible, that it wasn't in her best interest for Lords and Ladies to notice her. After meeting Lord Makoto I understood the statement all too well. Naomi was ecstatic to see me, I introduced her to Sango and Miroku, which the moment Miroku laid eyes on her he embraced her in a less than friendly way only for Naomi to blush and bow her head, her eyes dark. Sango didn't catch the action and even if she did she wouldn't have understood it like I did. Naomi had lived the life of a slave where men took her whenever they wanted. Sango nailed Miroku across the face in the name of Naomi's honor. I laughed and assured Naomi that it was alright. As I figured Shippo and Kirara were at Edo with Kaede, Sango and Miroku didn't stay long they didn't want to leave them with Kaede any longer, I wanted more than anything to go with them, but they assured me they'd return soon.

Come night I found myself staring at the door that I was to share with Sesshoumaru, I knew he was inside waiting for me. I'd avoided him since we returned, keeping myself hidden in the gardens or busying myself meeting the staff, since I was Lady of the palace now it seemed appropriate in my eyes to know the staff but most of them didn't think so. I had seriously debated sleeping in the garden, but Seyerna being the ever wise one she is found me and pointed out that avoiding the confrontation would only make it worse, possibly make him angry. She was right of course, but I still didn't want to do it.

I could try to run away, would he really give away Caim? Even if I ran where would I go? To the well? And what if he tracks my scent there and is miraculously able to go through it? We still don't know what allows InuYasha to go through it, maybe it's a blood thing. I don't really want to take that chance. I could tell Seyerna I changed my mind and I wanted her to take me away and she probably would without even blinking, and that would definitely put Caim on the chopping block.

The door suddenly swung open and I jumped back, unprepared landing on my rump. Sesshoumaru stared down at me and this angle he looked like a God of vengeance with only his pants hanging low on his hips. That was sexy. I shivered and swallowed the knot in my throat. He took a step towards me and I pushed myself backwards away from him. The desperate need to beg for mercy was in my throat but I managed to remain quiet though I couldn't guarantee the look on my face was any stronger than the look of a cornered kitten. He bent down and grabbed my ankle and I squeaked a mousey noise, trying desperately to push myself away but he pulled on my ankle. The look on his face changed from blank nothing to mischief. I was failing badly and he managed to pull me too him until we were both on the floor with me beneath him.

His claws pulled at my kimono the silk giving way though not ripping the soft ties fell apart like water through one's fingers. He nuzzled the fabric away and in moments his lips were on my breasts kissing and licking softly. I mewed, I didn't want to feel this, didn't want to enjoy him like this. I wanted to hate him! I did hate him damn it! I pushed desperately at his shoulders but my muscles were already giving away to his sex appeal. He pulled my kimono open baring my shoulders. "No…" I whined, damn it I was going to give in at this rate; his tongue on my chest, his lips on my shoulders. His hands were inside my kimono squeezing my thighs, using his knee to wedge himself between them; I shuddered when he ground himself against me, he already wanted me so desperately and I wanted him. "Stop… please…." I wasn't going to give in, I couldn't, if I did that it would all be for nothing, he'd always control me.

Seyerna was strong enough to take the man she wanted and let no one stand in her way and I could be the same, I could deny this male, I didn't have to let him own me! I pushed on his shoulders, determined to not melt for him, adrenaline was pounding in my ears, not fear, no, I would not fear him. Power coursed down my arms and into my fingertips making up for the muscle I lacked with my white energy and giving me the strength to push him back. His eyes were wide when they met mine and I almost lost my focus… almost.

I shoved him off of me and he hit the wall from the force. I barely managed to get my feet under me when his eyes were on me, shock and anger mixed into one. I would not be his slave. I threw myself down the hall, determined to run, to escape him. I could hear him behind me, my adrenaline heightening my senses beyond normal so I could make out his individual footsteps he was… walking? Damn him, he thought this was a joke! A game! If he caught me it would be over. Sage taught me how to compete with demon speed, I knew how to step into the flow of magic, like a jet stream and take flight. However, as I tried to focus I couldn't do it, not in motion, not under pressure. I was too scared, too nervous, I couldn't find my footing. The hall was coming to a split if I shifted now I'd probably hit the wall but if I didn't he might start running, already I could hear his footsteps quickening. Damn it, Kagome, do it!

I squinted my eyes and struggled to focus on magic, in the next moment I could hear him running and I stepped up and into the clouds. I almost ran into the wall, the fish lens vision I was working through seemed to amplify the basic walls, but I was moving so damn fast it was near impossible for me to judge my movements or which way to move not to mention what would seem like a slight turn would be too much for the speed and I'd be doing U-turns. But this was different; adrenaline was leading me, making me react faster. I was in mid turn when I hit the wall, I felt myself roll against it, barely managing to hold on to the transcended state before I was thrusting my body forward and down the next hall, the walls easily flying by me many times faster than my own run could ever do. I couldn't hear Sesshoumaru anymore of course Sage had told me my senses would be weakened like this, but it didn't matter, I couldn't look back if I wanted to all of my attention had to be on directions and turning. The next path I knew would require two quick turns and I wasn't sure how I was going to make them. I was prepared for the first one, turning just in time to avoid hitting the wall but the second one was in front of me too fast. I was skidding to turn, trying desperately to make it but I could feel my body falling, it felt like slow-motion from this speed. I pushed off with one foot, throwing myself into the air if only to make it another two feet before falling out of my transcended state, but the magic was on my side still propelling me forward and the next moment I realized my feet were on the wall. Laughter was in my throat, but I couldn't hear the sound; screw reality, screw logic and screw physics I was running on the wall!

I guided myself back to a normal flat plane because I can't imagine making a turn while running on the wall. The next turn was a breeze I was getting better at judging the distance and the amount of lean required for a turn. My next obstacle was stairs and this one I had no idea, my feet weren't actually moving faster my strides were just covering more distance so how was I to manage the stairs? At this speed I wouldn't be able to actually make the steps no matter how fast I got my legs to move I'd end up stumbling over magic and my own feet - logically anyway. I didn't stop though, and as I threw myself down the stairs I realized I was gliding over them, I made no footsteps my feet never touched ground, just used the magic as an ocean and flew right over them. This was amazing!

I jumped, maybe I was being a little arrogant but the stairs were split, a turn in the middle too sharp for me to manage, so I used the wall again. When I jumped my body moved like a torpedo in the air I barely managed to twist around and make sure my feet hit the wall instead of my skull. The pressure from the magic pushed me down to a crouched position but sheer force of will made me propel myself back forward and down the second half of the stairs.

I didn't allow myself to question where I was going, just that I was getting out of the palace. I vaulted down the next flight of stairs using the same method to make the turn in the stairs, it was so much fun! I wasn't sure if I was still laughing but I knew adrenaline had turned from panic to excitement somewhere along the line. The doors to the garden were closed but it didn't stop me, I bowed my head and raised my forearms in front of my face, I didn't even feel the impact I was moving so fast but I did notice the doors broke away and splintered from the force.

I was just about through the gardens when an arm grabbed me around the middle and the wind was knocked out of me. The individual pulled me to their chest, instantly realizing it was a male and not a female's soft supple breasts against my back. Still I was gasping for air when I heard a dark chuckle; Sage. It shouldn't surprise me that he was able to catch me, he was the one that taught me how to do it.

"You've hurt yourself, Kagome. I know it's fun, I remember when I first got the hang of it, but remember that I told you you'll be out of touch with your senses, well it also dims your sense of pain." As he said the words pain seemed to cave in on my body and I collapsed in his arms. He helped me down and the pain in my thighs was pulsating, I looked down and I could see my ankles swelling from the strain, what's more my shoulder and forearms were killing me! From hitting the wall and then crashing through the doors I realized.

Seyerna came jogging up, an amused look on her face. "Nice trick with the stairs." I choked on a laugh; she would find humor in this.

Then Sesshoumaru showed up, running from the door I'd destroyed, his eyes wide as he stared at me in wonder. "How did you?..." for once Sesshoumaru was at a loss for words, I laughed harder and my ribs hurt from laughing.

"Yes, very funny, but you've likely sprained your ankle, if not both of them and I do hope you didn't get any splinters in your arms and Christ, Kagome, your shoulder!" Sage grumbled and poked at my shoulder, instantly my laughter turned to a pained groan.

"You taught her to do that?" Sesshoumaru spoke up, he was not angry, more curious, more so than I've ever seen before. Sage nodded as if it was no big deal, but even I knew it wasn't a common trick; at least I'd never seen anything like it. "Then you will continue to train her." I looked to his face, he left no room for argument or discussion but Sage never looked up from his examination.

Sage sighed, "You have no idea how much of a bother it is to heal sprains. It's not like anything is broken, there's nothing to mend, it's just a matter of relaxing an over stretched muscle, assuming you didn't tear it." I bowed my head shamefully, feeling rather playful with his frustration and possibly the fact he'd all but ignored Sesshoumaru. "Oh laugh all you want Kagome, but you'll be the one attempting to heal yourself I'll not have you screaming at me when I pull a muscle the wrong way." Still I struggled not to giggle. He groaned, "Lord Sesshoumaru, if you don't mind, would you take your woman away. I'll help her figure out how to heal in the morning, in the meantime I'm human too and would like to sleep." I did giggle at that but the next moment I was scooped into Sesshoumaru's arms, groaning when my position was changed.

Sesshoumaru walked me back into the palace and I was still on too much of a high to really contemplate the fact that I was officially helpless, until he spoke and brought reality back to me; "You're all mine now, kitten…." And the pet name sent a chill of delight through me, though I'd deny it if asked. I peered over his shoulder to see Seyerna staring after us, but I didn't call out to her. Sesshoumaru wouldn't take advantage of me like this, would he?

Sesshoumaru didn't take advantage of me last night; in fact he put me in bed, tucked me in and kissed my forehead, then left without a word. It was strange, but I appreciated it. In the morning Sage was sitting next to the bed dosing off, Sesshoumaru was nowhere to be seen.

"Sage…?" I whispered and his head jerked up, blinking rapidly. "Why are you here?"

"Well, thanks to your little display last night Lord Sesshoumaru has been playing fifty questions with me for most of the night. Now I get to attempt to teach you how to heal a very awkward wound." I bound my head shamefully, this time for real, and I heard him sigh. "Stop that, it's not like anyone can even be mad at you for any more than thirty seconds at a time."

Sage moved to sit on the side of the bed and instantly we were in training mode. I had thought it was amazing when Seyerna had shown me how to change my magic into healing magic, but Sage did it with such ease it was literally a matter of seconds; one moment I see his power, he's drawing it into his palms and the next moment he's turned it into a fluffy white cotton ball. Sage works the magic around one naked ankle, his eyes closed and I could see the muscles in his brow shifting with his concentration.

"I thought you were ganna make me do it?"

He remained silent for a long moment as he worked the magic around my ankle, "I was frustrated you disrupted my evening with Seyerna, but no, it's too delicate, bones are a lot easier to heal than a stretched muscle. While it takes less energy overall to heal a stretched muscle it does take more know how. It's too easy to mess up and make the wound worse." I smiled at him, amazed that he was talking and conducting magic simultaneously but giggly at his attitude. I'd disrupted them, not like it was the first time!

"Lord Sesshoumaru has informed me I'll be your personal trainer. We are to meet every other day to work on your training though for the life of me I can't figure out what I'm supposed to teach you. No matter how many times I tried to explain to him that magic was a personal thing an individual must learn and discover on their own he insisted that I could speed up the process. I hope he's not expecting you to turn into a demi god in a week…."

I felt myself day dreaming about Seyerna, a demi goddess in her own right, is that what she was? It sure felt like it sometimes, she was so motherly and protective, but not in a hollow 'I-want-to-protect-you-but-am-not-physically-able-to' way, no, she really can. And her abilities are so supernatural, I mean, demons in and of themselves are supernatural, but the ability to read minds seems like a gift from the gods, though I'm not sure she thinks that.

"Is Seyerna a demi-god?" I whispered the words, more a part of my day dreaming than an actual question.

Sage rubbed my ankle, "Stretch, tell me how it feels." I did as he commanded, stretching out the one ankle and rotating it in circles, it felt better than new. "Seyerna's not a god by any stretch of the word, she paid for her abilities. She earned them through blood, sweat, tears and a lot of mistakes and bad decisions." I watched Sage get up and move to the other side of the bed to treat my other ankle.

Blood, sweat and tears, but did working for one's power make them any less of a demi god and what did that make Naraku? Using the power of others, of the shikon jewel to grant him power. He was scum. Seyerna would give Naraku a run for his money, then again he's already confronted her, did he think her weak? Seyerna is quite good at hiding all her powers, even her aura is invisible, wonder if she can mask her scent too? I wonder how that meeting went, Seyerna only mentioned what he wanted. What would Naraku do if she didn't even attempt to attack InuYasha or Sesshoumaru? I didn't think she would, she had nothing to gain from it. Even I knew enough about demons to recognize they rarely did favors. Seyerna didn't think anything of the shikon shards, it was comical to her that Naraku had even offered her one as payment. But a portion of her soul exists inside of the shikon, did he know that before he gave it to her? Or was it a test? The jewel shards become almost invisible when in her hands because it meshes into her presence so well.

I was brought from my thoughts of Sage pestering me to stretch the other ankle. I did as he commanded. "I've never seen Seyerna fight before. Is she great? I mean, is she strong? Do you think she could defeat Sesshoumaru?" It was just a comparison really, I knew Sesshoumaru couldn't defeat Naraku alone as much as he would like too. Though if it was one on one with no dirty tricks he probably could but since we couldn't count on that….

Sage sighed and squeezed my ankle, "You don't ever wanna see Seyerna fight, Kagome. You're too nice to understand it. I would hate to ruin that innocent image you have of her. Don't ask me this."

How could he say such a thing and expect me not to question further? "Sage, I understand combat, I know it gets gory and gruesome."

Sage shook his head, "That's not the problem though…. Let's just say, Seyerna has her own set of demons and they're a bit more… vocal than yours or mine." His eyes were so intense when he said that, the words were spoken through ice and I had a feeling I probably didn't want to see her fight, but it didn't calm my curiosity. Sage got up and left, likely to escape before I questioned further which is what I had intended to do.

I finally got to have my tea party and I was rather glad it was postponed until we returned to Sesshoumaru's palace instead of having it at Makoto's. This way I could bring Naomi. Not to mention I was more comfortable here, comparatively. I told Naomi what I wanted to do and she told me the exact room to meet her in and when. Upon entering Naomi and Ai were talking amongst themselves setting out the tea cups and had also prepared a snack of small cakes. I kneeled down at the table, Seyerna wasn't here yet, but when I'd informed her she had been in the dojo dancing with Sage, at least that's what it looked like to me. They weren't holding hands instead they had swords drawn; they weren't really fighting, more moving around each other creating an interesting 'dance' with the swords and their bodies.

I had barely sat down when Seyerna walked in, it didn't surprise me. She kneeled beside me and I asked Naomi and Ai to kneel as well, they sat across the table, Naomi was comfortable with me, smiling and meeting my eyes but Ai was staring at the ground as a servant should, but I didn't want her too.

"Ai… you don't have to be that way with me. Look up, look at me. I want us to be friends." Ai nervously met my eyes but quickly looked back down.

"It will take her time to learn you, Kagome. You may not realize it, but you're nothing like most women in your position." I looked at Seyerna, I did know this, but it still bothered me that it took people so long to realize it. "Now what is it you've gathered us all here for, little one?" Seyerna's red eyes were gazing at me softly.

"Well, this is more a question I have for you but I didn't know how to ask it without them being here. What's more I wanted to formally introduce you." Seyerna nodded and waited for me to continue, I'm assuming she didn't respond to unspoken questions because of the two other girls involved. "First off, Seyerna, Naomi, and Ai. I know we've just met Ai but I hope we become close." Seyerna was smiling awkwardly as I pointed out each girl to the other's. "What?" I questioned.

"Why are you being so strange, Kagome? Ask the question already." Seyerna and her mind reading, or maybe it was an emotional reading thing, I was quite fidgety. I realized I was stalling for reasons I didn't know.

With a sigh I spoke the question, "I've had interesting encounters with both girls. You having acted as my mentor for the most part, I thought might be able to help me unravel the mystery." I hoped Seyerna would show mercy, for some reason I felt it was taboo for me to ask about their powers.

Seyerna frowned, "It is taboo, but not enough of one that you should not share it with friends. Now ask your question and I'll answer all."

I pouted but continued, "One night, when I was feeling particularly hopeless, Naomi sang to me, but that's not the part that peaked my curiosity as I drifted off into sleep I noticed our auras seemed to be blending together, instead of swirling or pushing against each other, they became a whole new color. I've never seen anything like it, what was that? As for Ai, I'm not sure how to explain it, her power seems to have a cage on it, is the best way I can explain it."

Both Naomi and Ai were suddenly extremely nervous, Seyerna said it was taboo? What had I just done?

"Kagome, you're a very gifted one. I know Sage taught you how to see power, but you literally 'see' it. It's a very special gift, it enables you to see the change in magical flow, it's also probably why you took to Sage's technique so well as it requires stepping into the magical flow. I will not tell either of their stories, as it's not mine to tell. Naomi's… is a trait of her… I can't even tell you any more than that…."

"My race, it's something my race can do. Singing softens the mind, makes it easier for me to influence the mind with my power. I influenced you to calm down. I knew you were upset; I just wanted to relax you. Please don't be angry with me." I stared wide eyed, her race? I thought she was human! Seyerna chuckled and I glared at her.

"No, Naomi, I'd never be mad at you. I appreciate whatever you did for me that night. I was upset, scared even and I look forward to the next time I get to hear your voice." Naomi smiled delighted; I suppose because I wasn't mad.

Seyerna moved the topic on; "As for Ai, well I fear I may tell more than she wants me too but for the sake of the safety of all I'm afraid I have too…."

"Wait! Please!" Ai jumped up and grabbed Seyerna's hands, "I didn't want to do this, please don't tell. I'll do anything!" And suddenly I was very curious.

"Calm down, trust me when I tell you the one who did this to you is lying. Whatever he promised you for doing his bidding was a lie. Or whatever he holds over you if it's that way…." It must have been a thought she read, because I was lost to her meaning.

"But if my cover is blown he'll kill her!" She was crying and panicked. I jumped up and moved to embrace her, holding her as she crumbled to the ground.

"Ai, it's alright, we'll help you however we can." But she was shaking her head, she wouldn't hear me.

Crying and sobbing she managed between chokes, "Please, I'm begging you. I don't even know what he wants. He just told me to follow you and watch you. He said he'd contact me when he needed my help again, but that if I wanted her to live I had to stay close and keep out of mind. I was never supposed to get this close."

"Seyerna!" I looked up at her panicked as well from the girl's sobbing.

"I don't understand why he used an elf…." Seyerna crossed her arms and eyed Ai as if she could actually see her. An elf? "Why go through the trouble of using a concealing spell when he could have used the same tactic on a demon."

"A concealing spell? Is that what that cage of power around her's is?" Seyerna nodded. Ai was an elf masquerading as a demon through a concealing spell. "But who's he?"

"Who do you think? Naraku." I sucked in a deep breath, I had a feeling it was, but I hadn't wanted to believe it.

"I can break the spell if you'd like Ai. No one is going to ridicule you for being an elf." Seyerna offered and I was glad she wasn't offensive in anyway, she recognized how delicate the situation was as well.

Ai shook her head, her shoulders shaking, "I have to protect her…." I wanted to cry for her, but it would do no good. Why did everyone I know have to end up hurt by Naraku? Except… Seyerna…. I looked up at her and she knew my thoughts meeting my eyes for a moment before returning to Ai.

"And so we shall." Seyerna spoke softly but with all the strength of a scorn mother.

Ai peered up at her, hiccupping on her tears, "What do you mean?"

Seyerna's eyes were dark and malicious when she spoken; I couldn't help but wonder at the thoughts running through Ai's mind. "Naraku is not just your foe, little one. We will recover your sister; for now, when Naraku contacts you, do as he bids. You need never speak what he says to you, merely think of it when passing me. Do you understand?" Ai hiccupped again but nodded softly. Seyerna was a wrecking ball to be faced with and I couldn't help but grin. Naraku would meet his match in her. Sage had made a remark that she knew how to fight dirty, I wonder all of what that entitled and if it would be enough to compete with Naraku's underhanded schemes.

I found myself wandering aimlessly around the palace, after the incident with Ai, knowing now that Naraku was following my every move made me feel like I needed to watch the ground before I took a step, afraid it would crumble from beneath me. Seyerna assured me she'd keep an eye out for Naraku, but stressed the importance of learning his scheme instead of doing what InuYasha would do and hunt Naraku down immediately. No, Seyerna understand the delicacy of the situation. I don't think Ai's little sister was in the same situation as Kohaku. Naraku wasn't using her as a weapon too; I think she was just a means of blackmail. If we took too big of a step and put too much pressure on Naraku too quickly he'd kill the girl and leave her corpse to rot.

A step fell in sync beside me; I stiffened immediately recognizing it as Sesshoumaru, glancing over briefly only to assure myself who it was. He did not speak and I was not about to break the silence. We had not spoken since he assaulted me the night prior, in fact, I hadn't seen him since he put me to bed.

Still the silence stretched between us as he matched me stride for stride, I wondered how awkward it was to match my small legs in order to keep my pace which I neither sped up nor slowed down. Reaching another turn Sesshoumaru held his arm out for me to lock arms with him. I stared a moment, debating the consequence if I refused, looking down both halls I knew one would lead me further from our bedroom the other looked as if it would take us outside. Seeing no immediate harm and deciding angering him was not currently a progressive means I took his arm and he led me down the hall going outside.

We reached the far back of the gardens from the back exit of the palace. I hadn't actually gone out this way before, the doors were open as we passed, the garden appearing more like a magical forest with vines hanging gracefully from tree tops, the trees so dense it was a challenge to find a path through, but there seemed to be a worn path weaving between the trees that Sesshoumaru led me through.

"Seyerna told me of Ai." I jumped, startled by his voice, staring up it took me moments to realize his words. Why would she? "I was uncertain if she would remain loyal in her agreement, I'm pleasantly surprised even if she is not the most honorable in her techniques she has remained true to her word." That's right, she pledged her loyalty to Sesshoumaru. I sighed and looked away, would he command we go running in? Or did he not care at all? "Seyerna has full reign over this encounter." I looked back at him, surprised and relieved at the words, though I was still opting not to speak unless absolutely necessary, thus I remained quiet and merely nodded softly. "Seyerna will make a powerful Warlord, though she has no yet accepted the proposal." At those words I became suspicious, what was he trying to do? "As for Ai, I will keep a guard by her, a stealthy one as to not make it obvious." Was he trying to woe me through them? Was he mad...? Or a genius? "Seyerna also requested she go find her son. Since he is also to pledge his loyalty to me I gave her permission, though she did request something else I found rather strange. She asked if she could take you and Naomi, though she gave little information as to why she wanted the two of you to go." Naomi because she knew she was the one her son loved, but I wasn't sure about me.

We stopped in the middle of the forest like garden; the tree's had a soft layer of moss coating their base which Sesshoumaru made use of, sitting down at the bottom. I opted to stand, he stared at me a long moment, almost sighed and continued on when he realized I wasn't going to sit. I almost giggled at his withheld sigh. "If you wish to go I will allow it, but only if you swear you'll return. I want to trust you Kagome; I want to give you this." His eyes were intense when they looked at me I wanted to crumble to the ground and curl into his lap, but I managed to keep my knees from shaking. Why was he doing this? What was he trying to do? I could escape Seyerna and it wouldn't be her fault. Not that Seyerna would stop me anyway.

"There is one other price." I narrowed my eyes suspiciously; I knew it couldn't be that simple. He groaned at my expression, "Do not glare at me, Kagome. I am your mate, not your enemy. I request only that you lie with me, without running or screaming or fighting." I fidgeted as I knew given the chance he'd win; I couldn't compete lying next to him with his hands all over my body. I barely withheld the shiver that came with the naughty thoughts. "I will not allow you or Naomi to go if you do not agree." Oh but I was so curious….

Weakly I nodded wondering how much of it was curiosity and how much was eagerness.


	30. Chapter 30

Sesshoumaru never even gave me a chance to inquire with Seyerna as to where we were going in the morning; instead he distracted me all day, demanding I eat with him and go to the library with him. He offered me book after book and I'm reluctant to admit they were the most curious books I ever read. Some of them were on magic, some were just fairy tales, and others were just documentation of animals, demons and various other creatures. One book that appealed to me the most talked about all the known races.

At dinner I sat beside him, not on his lap or wedged at the corner of the table, but actually at my own seating arrangement. He stole a kiss from my lips before the servants came in with food. It was just me and Sesshoumaru in a rather small dining room, instead of the chairs and full length table we sat traditionally kneeled on the floor at the low table. It was nice… intimate I realized and instantly worked at closing myself off. But the kiss had been so quick and yet so warm, my lips still burned from the contact. I resisted the urge to lean in for another and sat with my hands fidgeting in my lap.

A smorgasbord was displayed before me, foreign food and sweet wine. He poured my wine and encouraged me to try new foods, explaining to me their origins and a brief history to its birth nation. Damn it, why was he being a romantic now?

I drank another glass of wine, staring as he refilled it, knowing it would be my undoing, but wanted it all the same, wanted an excuse to stop fighting him and just submit.

After dinner he took me to our room and I dreaded the next event. He had requested I did not fight, I could do that. I did it the night we mated and managed to ice up to him the next day, I could do it again! But I was doubting myself, I felt my insides giving way, I wanted him even before it happened. This was an excuse to take it, yet it had only been a day, how was I to survive any respectable amount of time if I couldn't manage two days?

I sighed and he looked down at me, I had been mostly quiet throughout dinner and most of the evening, avoiding making unintentional conversation or contact for that much. If I lost I'd never win anything again, I'd be his personal slave forever, for him to torture or fuck at his whim. He kissed my ear, and I jumped, his arms suddenly around my waist, holding me softly almost tenderly to his chest. I squinted my eyes, it wasn't fair, why me! No… I wouldn't have a problem with this situation if he hadn't betrayed me….

He released my waist only to lead me out onto the balcony that overshadowed the gardens and you could see into the horizon for what seemed like forever. I won't admit how much the edge scared me, how much I wanted to run back inside. He'd traumatized me.

I must have been shaking because he took my shoulders and stared into my eyes, and I could tell my eyes didn't want to focus, I had to struggle to zone in on his eyes, staring at the darkness in his gold eyes and I was at a loss to the emotion there. What did he want from me?

"Stop this, Kagome. This is ridiculous. You will understand and you will accept what transpired between us. It's done and over, now you are my mate and you will act accordingly." He growled at me and I narrowed my eyes, his comment erasing the fear and bringing out the anger. I latched onto it and pulled at it until my insides were burning and not with desire.

"No, you will understand and you will accept it. You messed up, why should I forgive you? Why should I even give you the time of day! What you did to me at the cliff that day, you had no reason! I trusted you!" I screamed and I knew there were tears in my eyes, but not pain this time, no more tears of pain, these were tears of rage. "Don't you mistake these worthless tears! I'm furious with you! How dare you! You tore me apart, Sesshoumaru! I trusted you! I trusted you!" I wanted to keep screaming at him but it was useless his eyes remained that same emotion I couldn't read. "Let me go…." I whispered.

"No…." He shook his head and turned and walked back into the bedroom. From inside the room I heard him speak up again, "You still have a bargain to uphold, unless you don't wish to go with Seyerna tomorrow." It was ridiculous the way he put it, like I was a little girl who had to do the dishes before she went out to play with her friends.

With determination I went into the room. I knew my hands were shaking but I didn't allow myself to quit as I pulled the sash that held my kimono closed letting it fall to the floor, shrugging it off my shoulders so it could join the sash on the ground. I unbound my breasts and dropped the small cloth around my hips, all of them making a pile on the floor. I stood naked silhouetted by the moonlight. I felt his aura melt with desire and I felt empowered like this and unfortunately aroused. I wanted him even when I was furious with him I wanted him.

He crossed the room in two strides, suddenly in front of me it seemed. He picked me up and lifted me into the air, kissing each naked breast. I whimpered, I wasn't supposed to fight, so I saw no point in holding back. Slowly he set me down on the bed so I had to kneel on it. He walked away and returned quickly with several scarves over his arms, all of them white. Crawling onto the bed behind me he twisted my arms behind my back, I didn't fight him but I couldn't help but question, "What are you doing?"

Sesshoumaru started wrapping the cloth around one arm, then around the other, pulling them so my forearms lay on each other, the position made me arch my back, and I hated how much it turned me on to be tied up. "Reminding you…." He whispered and I wanted to curse myself for letting him bind my arms.

He shifted off the bed and picked me up bridal, carrying me into the adjoining bath room. The bath was steaming and he gently slipped me in and placed me on one of the built in seats. Stripping he joined me moving so he was in front of me. He didn't let me escape when he leaned in and kissed my mouth. I whimpered as his hands supported me, starting at my shoulders, squeezing and massaging along with his tongue sliding into my mouth, tasting me and dancing gently with my tongue. I moaned into his mouth and I felt him grin while moving his hands, one moved to my back to support me the other squeezed my exposed breast, teasing the hardened tip with the pad of his finger.

"No…" I heard myself whimper, my brain struggling to point out to me that he was an evil mad man who tortured me, my body screaming at me to give in, knowing all the pleasure his fingers could offer.

His hands squeezed my flesh from their position and I whimpered from the slight pain, he softened and I felt his body weaken, pressing his cheek into mine, I could hear him breathing heavily. "Forgive me…." He whispered and the words were too foreign for me to understand. I fell completely silent and before I completely regained myself he picked me up and set me on the edge, still bound I could do nothing but stare confused.

I groaned as his hands started working my left foot, squeezing the arch and kneading the ball of my foot. My mind went foggy as he gave me the best foot massage in the word, his hands so strong, never growing tired and knowing just the right pressure to use on my arches, using the knuckle of his thumb to grind up and down the middle of my foot. He squeezed my toes, pulling and sliding his fingers between them. I heard myself whimpering, "Don't stop…." I cried when he quit but he moved to the other foot to give it the same ministration.

Slowly he worked up my calf, squeezing the muscle and rubbing up and down the length of my leg. "Oh mercy…." I whimpered, flexing my toes and stretching my feet. Before I could protest he was at the junction to my hips and his fingers touched my lips. I squeaked and he chuckled. His mouth was on my thighs biting and kissing softly, I knew I couldn't win this, and at this point I didn't want to as long as his tongue kept making those small circles so close to my lips I thought I'd scream. Instead of sating my fantasies he moved away, kissing down my thigh to my knee and nipping at the tender skin. He reached my feet and I was blushing madly as he kissed the tops of my feet, but he didn't stop there, he kissed each toe and then the soles of my feet. I moaned and I'm not even sure why, it didn't seem like it should be sexy or arousing but the act of having him kneeling and literally kissing my feet was somehow appealing. Then he was sucking on my toe and I squeaked from the action, it tickled but at the same time sent a wave of heat to my woman parts. My feet were amazingly sensitive to his tongue sliding between each toe, licking around and in between until I thought I would scream either from how much it tickled or how much it turned me on. I giggled helplessly as he licked down my arch and back up to the ball of my foot. He changed feet again and I squealed, not sure I could take any more of this strange torture. Still he kissed all over the other foot, holding my ankle firmly as I tried to pull away.

Who ever heard of feet being sexual? But when he pulled away I was panting and knew I was ready for him. What would it be like now? We had only had actual sex once that required time and I found myself outrageously curious to feel him inside of me again, in the intimacy of the bondage and our home... wait our?

I didn't get to think on the thought any longer as his nose pushed against my mound and his tongue made one long thick lick up my slit. I think I might have screamed, so unprepared for the action and so completely aroused. I don't know when I leaned back and laid on the cold marble but I was glad I was where I was because I probably would have busted my head open from that one lick.

Sesshoumaru was merciless as he licked my slit over and over, lightly and yet roughly, enough pressure to make me want to scream, but not enough to part my lips and lick my clit. I cried and squirmed helplessly while he teased my labia, tickling it gently with the tip of his tongue. Finally he pulled my lips apart with his fingers, fluttering his tongue against my clit before sliding down to my entrance and licking more. His tongue was heavenly, each stroke so perfectly placed and timed, my mind was in the clouds and my body was in hell, so hot and so burning. "Please…" I whimpered and he licked harder before sucking my clit into his mouth and swirling his tongue around and around the bundle of nerves. My leg twitched from the intensity, struggling to hold myself still and yet pushing up to meet his mouth. He did not disappoint as he had so many times before, sucking and licking my clit until I orgasmed, my body like fire and my heart pounding a mile a minute. He kept sucking and licking until I was spent, stopping only when the continued action made me squirm to escape.

When he pulled away he dragged me back into the water, making me straddle his waist. "You enjoy this…" He whispered and I wasn't sure if it was supposed to be a question or a statement, of course I enjoyed it. "Then why do you fight me so?" I squirmed, I didn't want to have serious talk right now, I wanted to have a hard cock inside of me. I shivered as my own naughty words made me recall the moment he took me. When I looked away he turned me to face him, "Answer me." I whined.

"Please, can't we just enjoy this?" He shook his head and repeated his demands. I wiggled enough to escape the hand holding my chin and hid my face, pressing my forehead to his chest. "Why did you have to torture me? I wanted to love you Sesshoumaru. I really wanted to be with you like this but… You threw me off a damn cliff! I'm nothing to you! You threw me away!" I felt myself crying and damned myself for it, what was wrong with me?

His arms were rubbing up and down my back, trying to soothe me but the words that followed made my heart jump, "What will it take?" He whispered and I jerked up to see his face and that emotion again, what was that? Pain?... no… Regret.

"Everything…." I whispered. I wanted every last piece of this man, his life, his love, his very soul. I would not be in doubt ever again, if he meant it, if he wanted my forgiveness than he would… submit.

He sighed a real sigh, nothing held back or stunted, but a full on sigh. "Will you give me this? No fighting in the bedroom? I want you, Kagome, and I know you want me." Was this a compromise? Or just hoping I'll give him sex? I didn't know if it meant he'll still seek my forgiveness or if this is all he wanted from me? But even more, could I tell him no anyway?

After a long moment I nodded because I didn't want to say the words, I wanted to fight him to the end. He picked me up and set me on my feet beside the bath we didn't return to the bedroom instead he grabbed one thigh and pulled it up, making me balance on one foot, using another scarf he tied my thigh just above my knee and then tied the other end over my head, pulling it tight so my thigh was touching my stomach and exposing my sex fully. The position turned me on, I wiggled my butt and he smacked one cheek, making me yelp and growl at him.

"Don't be like that, Kagome," He positioned himself behind me and pressed his palm to my lower stomach, his fingers stroking my mound, I whined at him to stop teasing. "You enjoy this, since you've admitted to enjoying it, stop fighting me." His hand moved lower and stroked my exposed sex, teasing the lips and entrance since the position spread my lips. He rubbed my clit with his palm while teasingly avoiding entering me. It occurred to me he was being playful, why? Did he think sex would win me? Or did he just not care about anything but sex? My train of thought was stolen when he tickled my lips with his fingers, stroking so lightly I couldn't help but try to wiggle my hips away.

He took another scarf and wrapped it around my ribs under my arms which was an awkward process given they were still bound. He tied them over our heads as well, looking up I could see various hoops in the roof, I wonder if the entire palace was designed around bondage and kinky stuff. Another scarf went around my upper thigh, another at my ankle, and then to my horror he lifted up my other leg so I was suspended in the air, he added a scarf to the same three positions on the other leg, so I was literally hanging from the ceiling. I whimpered, scared and excited at once, but the scarf was as strong as it was soft supporting but not hurting me.

He teased my breasts as they were still very much exposed in my cradled position. "Tell me what you want, Kagome." I bit my lip, I couldn't say it, but he kept squeezing my tits and rubbing my nipples. Slowly he moved and I felt him against my entrance, I looked down between his arms to see his manhood pressed against my clit, rubbing slowly with each gentle motion of his hips. His arms moved around my back to support me, lifting me up so the binds slackened so he could take my nipple into his mouth. I squeaked as he pushed against me. I wanted him so bad, it wasn't fair that I enjoyed these kinky things so much, even more so that I loved to be tied up and it gave him all the power he wanted to have everything he wanted from me.

"Fuck me…" I whispered and he looked up, releasing my nipple.

"What was that, my kitten?" I groaned the nickname almost forgotten.

"Fuck me." I asked again, louder but he raised his brow and I knew it wasn't loud enough, "Fuck me!" I yelled and he shoved into me in the next breath making me groan from the intrusion. Oh yes, that was amazing, that completely full feeling that nothing else can give me. He started slowly, sliding in and out of my slick sheathe.

I squirmed but was mostly helpless to move in my suspended position, wiggling my hips and trying to rock against him but failing miserably. He held my thighs as he started to move faster. "Beg." He commanded me and I couldn't think of anything I wanted to do more… still….

"No…" I whimpered and he grinned moving at a torturous speed, keeping me amazingly aroused without pushing me over the edge. "Sesshoumaru…" I moaned his name, still trying to keep myself in check, I wanted to beg but in the same breath I didn't want to surrender, the heaven would end if I surrendered. It was a strange paradox.

"Please…" I finally whispered and he moved a little bit faster, not enough to give me what I needed, "Please, Sesshoumaru, fuck me…." He teased my nipple, but still didn't sate me. Groaning, unable to take it anymore "Sesshoumaru! Please! Fuck me harder!" He laughed and did as I bade, pounding into my helpless form until I was screaming and trying to thrash. My orgasm was enough to make me shutter from the effects, made me howl and cry out his name over and over while he continued to move in and out of me until his seed filled me up.

I was trembling, tearing up from the intensity. Oh yes, I think I liked this suspension bondage a lot. He untied me slowly, but when all the bindings were off I almost crumbled, he caught me first and held me against his chest, staring down at me with those molten golden eyes. I felt myself getting lost in his eyes. He pulled me up so I was held firmly against his chest. I locked my arms around his neck and panted softly. "Kagome…." He said my name in such a way it made my heart skip a beat. I leaned up and our lips touched, so soft, so gentle. I shivered as I opened my eyes to meet his eyes again. "You're an amazing creature…." He whispered to me and I blushed somehow his words were more embarrassing than being tied up and exposed for him.


	31. Chapter 31

(I forgot to tell ya'll but we have finally caught up to my Dokuga account, this means chapter updates will slow down as I write, edit them and tweek the storyline here and there. Just a heads up.)

I woke up beside Sesshoumaru, he was… asleep I realized. His breathing so soft, his eye lashes barely brushing his moon pale cheeks. I couldn't help but stare at him; he looked so harmless like this, like a small child, so sweet, so utterly adorable. I smiled; the illusion was beautiful and made my heart question my mind. I didn't realize when I did it but my hand was slowly brushing his bangs from his face and in that moment his eyes flew open like lightning, startling me. I went to recoil my hand but he was faster, grabbing my palm, however gently, made my breath catch in my throat. Lava, that's what it was, his eyes were lava and he was planning to drown me, or burn me, I wasn't sure, nor was I sure I'd attempt to stop him. His face turned and slowly he kissed the inside of my hand, all along my palm, down each finger and over to my thumb, closing his eyes as he nibbled the tender flesh by my thumb.

A knock came at the door and the fantasy was broken, his eyes flew back open and we were both staring toward the door. With a growl to his voice that resembled tiredness he ordered the servant to enter. Naomi timidly walked in at the sound of his voice, I giggled, would she always be so timid?

She proved me wrong in the next moment as a huge smile crossed her face, "Kagome! Come on! Seyerna's ganna leave without us!" She was all but jumping up and down.

I looked to Sesshoumaru questioningly, would he let me leave? His head bowed and nuzzled my neck briefly before meeting my eyes again; "You will return…." But it wasn't a command, in fact, it felt like there should have been a 'won't you?' on the end. I nodded and then he rolled us both over, pinning me beneath him to steal a passionate kiss, barely allowing me to breathe as he smothered my mouth with his fury, my own passion matched his, kiss for kiss, lick for lick and bite for bite.

Only with an impatient gruff from Naomi and I think the sound of her rolling her eyes – hahah – did Sesshoumaru roll off of me and allow me to escape. Naomi all but dragged me around, yanking knots out of my hair and pulling my breast binding so tight breathing became a challenge, only to wrap me up in a basic kimono and tie the sash just as tight. Sesshoumaru watched us, his eyes never leaving me, even when my back was to him I could feel the fire in his eyes trying to melt me. When I was finally dressed and Naomi was pulling me out the door I dared a look at him, only to be met with fire, passion, desire and still that hint of regret, maybe he would fight for my forgiveness.

We rushed to the small tea room we'd used the night before waiting was a quick breakfast. I'd barely gotten two bites before Naomi yanked me from me seat. I grabbed the piece of bread I hadn't finished and she dragged me the rest of the way to the front gates and when we were there Naomi stopped as Seyerna was waiting before us. I was panting, barely catching my breath from Naomi's restless energy. "What is the rush? It's not like we have a time limit on this escapade?"

Naomi giggled and I watched as she threw herself into Seyerna's arms, hugging her just as tightly as my bindings felt. "Kagome! You don't understand, you get to spend every day with Lord Sesshoumaru! I haven't seen Caim in forever!" Naomi was practically bouncing up and down. I guess it made sense, I would be excited too where I in her shoes.

Seyerna shifted and glided over to me, turning me so she could loosen my bindings and I thanked her a hundred times for it. "Will Sage be coming?" I questioned between quick bites of bread.

"No, he's going to stay here and wait for your friends; Sango, Miroku and the young ones. I think he likes Miroku, he doesn't have friends per say, so I told him to stay put. Hopefully this little trip will only be a couple days if that. It'll take at least a day to reach the ocean though." Seyerna finished fixing my breast binding as well as the sash around my waist and then she tied up my hair.

"The ocean? What's at the ocean? Aren't we just going to fetch Caim? What's he doing there?" Seyerna chuckled and squeezed my shoulder as she moved away.

"You shall see, little one." I gruffed but knew I wouldn't get an answer so didn't bother speaking further. She headed out of the castle and just outside the main gates was three packs along with my weapon, doing like Seyerna we each picked one up, I picked up my bow and arrows and we headed out.

Seyerna led our band of Amazons, walking just a pace ahead of me and Naomi while braiding her hair over her shoulder. "Don't be alarmed if a demon presence approaches us unless I'm alarmed." She chuckled and I'm afraid I didn't get the humor in it nor did she care to explain it.

"Do you suppose Ai will be alright all alone?" I questioned after maybe a half hour of walking.

Seyerna barely nodded, "Naraku would have removed her if she was bothersome. There's nothing she can do about you leaving the castle, and it would be too suspicious if she'd followed us. Naraku understands at least that much. No, I'm confident he'll keep her there until she's in the way, as long as she's close to you she'll have some kind of use." It seemed strange, I wanted to blurt out the entire story of Naraku but Seyerna already knew it, it's no surprise of course, I'm sure I've thought about it more than once and Seyerna picks up on every little detail even without mind reading.

I sighed, my curiosities were coming to a boil; "Do you think he knows you can read minds?"

She scoffed, "If he doesn't he's a moron who should go live in a mountain as a hermit. My ability to read minds is widely known. Before I got involved with you I was approached daily at my throne with people wanting to test my abilities."

"Your throne…" That's right, she'd been sitting on a throne of skulls when we'd met. I didn't get to ask my question as she chuckled.

"Yes, they're real bones, are they human? Some of them, but most of them are from various other races. All people who challenged me and didn't know when to back down."

I frowned, "So make an alter out of it? That seems…"

"Morbid? That's kind of the idea. It's supposed to be intimidating. I told you I was approached daily. When you came upon me I was flaring my aura and trying my damndest to keep at least a dozen demons away from me. In fact most of what I did with you wasn't so much directed at you as it was the demons around, trying to scare them off. After you left at least eight of them approached me anyway." Seyerna sighed.

"But I didn't feel any other auras."

"And you thought you would because why? Before you met me you didn't even know you had an aura." True… "Not to mention my aura far outweighed most of theirs, they were invisible next to my power show. Your friend Sango noticed them though; I think she was having a mental break down that day being surrounded by so many powerful demons. But they're not like demons you've faced. It's why I was with them."

"Then what are they like?"

"They're half as vicious but ten times as ruthless. I know it doesn't make sense. Demons you know destroy villages and kill humans cause it makes them feel big and powerful, sometimes they even get power from it, draining human souls or eating off fear, but it's minimum comparatively. Demons in that forest seek self-proclaimed godhood, in a sense, they want to be the best there is. There's a sort of motto we have, don't kill your enemies for vengeance makes a better foe. Meaning once you've beaten them once they'll come back stronger than the last time so they'll fight better, offer a better challenge and ultimately help you get better. Life is one big training ground to those demons. They couldn't careless for someone who doesn't want to fight them or who is too weak to wound them. How is one to get better if it takes no effort to win?" I was amazingly intrigued, my insides were burning with questions, but Seyerna suddenly dropped her pack and I jumped, looking around for the threat only for her to start laughing. "Didn't Sage tell you that as a human you need to pay attention?" Yes, he had, but curiosity doesn't care if I'm alive or dead apparently. We stopped for lunch then, Seyerna caught a couple rabbits, but thankfully she skinned and gutted them before she brought them to the camp. Naomi and I cooked them and ate up quickly before Seyerna was urging us on.

We wandered what felt like aimlessly with no destination I knew of we might as well have been walking in circles cause every tree looked the same to me, yet Seyerna led the two of us without ever second guessing her step, she never even looked back to see if we were following, but then, she could read minds and she couldn't see, so why would she? She never asked if we needed breaks, she would just stop in the most convenient of locations, with a fallen log for us to sit until we started up again, or by a river for us to wash the dirt from ourselves. I'd say I wish InuYasha had been this observant but that truly would be an unfair request, literally asking him to read our minds. I heard Seyerna chuckle at the thought and I smiled too, only to frown as I thought of InuYasha again. I did miss him. Would I ever see him again? Would he go find solace in Kikyou? Maybe he would hunt me down to give my soul to Kikyou? I'm not sure how that was a comforting thought but some sick part of me felt peace at the concept of finally escaping. A suicidal thought and I realized it, quickly pushing it away. I would never dishonor my family with such things. As the thought passed my mind I heard Seyerna sigh, looking up to see her watching me intently, she didn't speak, she didn't need to, her sightless eyes told far more than words could. She would be hurt if I died. What was I to this demoness? A friend? While I certainly considered her a friend, I knew from experience demons were more reluctant to throw around their affections. She never answered my thoughts, maybe the answer was obvious and I just wasn't seeing it.

Night fall came and I didn't feel we were any closer to our destination. Regardless, Seyerna made us stop though Naomi was reluctant, but finally obliged when Seyerna used an attitude I'd never seen before, like a mother scolding a tiresome child, firm not harsh, but demanding obedience. I knew Seyerna had a history to rival the devil's handiest of works, but somehow she managed to be strong, to be on top and in charge, she was a leader without an army and in the same breathe I didn't think she needed one to be a woman of war and I don't mean that as in a war of man, but a war of emotion, of spirit, of life, of everything it requires to thrive for Seyerna did not just exist she struggled and bled - when darkness loomed over she became the darkness.

It wasn't a crush I had on Seyerna it was a strong envy, jealousy even, what I would give for one day to not be afraid to say no, to stand up to everything and anything without once flinching and to know I could win. Instead I cower behind my friends screaming for help and crying at the slightest of wounds.

I realized I was staring at her black hair, watching the wind pick it up and try to drag her from the tree top, but she didn't even need to hold on, her feet were perched perfectly to hold her wedged between two branches. She looked back and her two red orbs looked like hellish monsters peering at me through the dancing trees and flickering shadows. Her voice caught the wind and whispered to me, "Stop thinking and sleep, Kagome. As flattering as you are too me, it's really not that simple…." I didn't doubt that, but she made it seem like second nature, like breathing. I sighed and forced myself to roll over and seal my eyes though sleep did not come for what seemed like hours.

I woke up to Naomi's arm on my shoulder, she'd barely nudged me when I heard a growl; "Naomi, leave her alone." It was Seyerna, but she sighed, "Too late, you woke her up." I blinked awake and stared at Naomi who was smiling with the biggest grin.

"Come on! We're almost there!" She just about squealed, but I wanted to roll back over which is what I did the moment Naomi stood up and walked away to do what I don't know and I don't care.

However, I'd barely closed my eyes again when two arms wedged beneath me and picked me up. I shrieked and just about jumped out of the arms of my carrier, but she caught me and pulled me to her chest. "Stop that, Kagome!" Seyerna was almost laughing when she said it. I wiggled to my feet and she did laugh then. "Come, Naomi is going to have a meltdown if we don't hurry up."

Naomi grabbed my arm and suddenly I was moving though I wasn't sure how because my feet were doing their own thing and the brain didn't seem to be the one sending the messages. It was just a matter of time before I tripped on my own feet and took both me and Naomi down. Naomi barely managed the chance to grunt as she wiggled out from under me; the fall had knocked the air of me and successfully woke me up. I watched as the fire of her hair danced in her wake, still not willing to stand up, though she kept running off between the trees.

Seyerna came up behind me and helped me stand. "What is she so excited about?"

Seyerna smiled, "You shall see, little one." She winked at me and started on, with a deep breath I followed. I'm apparently not half as curious when I'm tired. Of course after only five minutes of walking I was fully awake and meeting Seyerna pace for pace though her strides were naturally much wider than mine, eager to see what awaited us behind the forest.

We caught up to Naomi after another fifteen minutes, she was huffing and panting, "I thought it was a lot closer, you said it wasn't far from camp."

Seyerna chuckled, "Yea a short distance for me to run. I wouldn't have made you stop for the night if it was only short stretch from camp. I estimate we'll get their by midday." Naomi grumbled at Seyerna's estimate and crossed her arms, following, more sulking, along behind us.

As the sun drew close to midday I recognized a faint sound, the soft push and pull of the ocean crashing against the shores. Then I felt all of Naomi's excitement at once as she heard it the same time as me, she took off, pushing past me and Seyerna, but the eagerness had hit my blood and I darted after her, Seyerna's laughter fading in the distance as I pushed my body after Naomi.

The forest was lost behind me as I broke into an open field, I could see the ocean but I didn't stop running. My leather shoes sunk into the sand the moment I breached into the dunes. Naomi was already at the shore, the water crashing at her ankles, her own boots already removed and discarded carelessly in the breath of sand behind her. Mine quickly joined her's as I hurried to her side. She stared out over the ocean as if it held all the answers, though I couldn't seem to find them, the ocean was nonetheless beautiful.

Another footstep came up behind us and I looked back out of habit to see Seyerna, she stopped several paces behind us and led herself to the ground, sitting cross-legged in the sand. She closed her eyes and I watched how her hands wedged into the sand, weaving through them and it occurred to me that was the only bit of the ocean she had, the touch and the smell, for she couldn't hear the magnificent crashing of each wave and she couldn't see the awesome reach of it spanning over the horizon. I had the urge to go to her but stopped myself as I didn't know what I would do, I couldn't very well fix her sight, nor could I mend her eardrums.

Naomi quickly stole my attention as her voice challenged the waves, wafting over me in such grandeur yet filled with grace. She formed no words just a magnificent tone, twisting about my mind and body, I swear I could feel her voice grazing over my very skin!

Somehow she managed to sing over the epic crashing of each wave - what seemed deafening at this range - and yet her voice was louder, no, not louder, it was a part of the crash. She changed the entire view of each wave, instead of noticing the crash I noticed the return, how the water smoothed out and would bear the sand beneath it, how the gentle waves in the distance built into not monsters but glorious creations of nature. I wasn't sure what was happening but I had the sudden desire to throw myself into the water. I didn't but as I looked over at Naomi she was untying her kimono in moments she let it fall and the water pushed it further ashore. Her breasts already free, she was small chested with perky mounds that needed no aid staying put, all that was left was a cloth around her hips and she quickly pulled that away and threw it to shore. Still singing her voice ate up the void of silence that would have otherwise choked between each wave. Seyerna called it influencing, was she doing that now? I closed my eyes to find our auras and she was doing just that, but she wasn't doing it with just me, but Seyerna as well, their auras twisted and mixed into a new color, I almost wondered why it never created brown but pushed the random thought away only to be caught completely off guard by the distant auras the came from the horizon… from the ocean?

I opened my eyes and focused on the auras, watching the ocean but nothing changed it seemed. Moments passed, those moments turned to minutes and I felt I wasn't even blinking; I didn't dare turn away for fear of losing track of the auras in the distances. I wasn't sure how many there were, five? Maybe more.

Naomi stared walking out into the water and I had to look back, had to watch this woman who was like family to me slip further and further into the water, her voice still ringing. It occurred to me as she stepped into the breach that had I done that it would have knocked me off my feet and threw me against the sand bank and yet the water surely parted for the magnitude of her voice, even the great power of the ocean seemed to tremble at the divinity born from her lungs.

"Naomi…" I barely whispered her name when a creature leaped from the water knocking Naomi down and dragging her into the water. I was instantly in a panic as the auras I had so stupidly turned away from were pulsating around us. I wasn't even knee deep when Naomi's red hair peeked out of the water along with a head of black hair, no... blue? I wasn't sure of the color it seemed blue in the sunlight. Two completely different eyes glared at me as if I were the devil himself, a gold one and a dark blue one, but they came from the same head. I kept staring as the visual of the other woman came into view, where did she come from?

Then everything moved too quickly as my feet were yanked out from beneath me and I was suddenly under the water, choking on the salty intrusion but unable to find breathable air as I flailed, at some point I had lost which direction was up and was now just struggling to escape the grip on my ankle. Mercy was on my side as a set of arms wrapped around my ribs and the grip on my ankle suddenly let go, I was brought to the surface, gasping and choking on the water trying to soak into my lungs. There was an argument and I heard my name a few times but for the life of me I couldn't focus on the voices or make logic to any of the words.

Minutes passed and I was pulled ashore, blinking over and over as my eyes stung like acid from the salt water. Still coughing from bits of sand it felt like. Seyerna's red eyes appeared over me and I stared at them like they were god because it was the only thing with a strong enough contrast for me to focus on. Finally I sat up with Seyerna's help and beside my thigh was Naomi, holding herself up on her arms, her hair hung around her shoulders and over her chest in a soaking mass, but as my eyes traveled down her body it occurred to me that Seyerna had told me once before that I would meet them. I felt myself laughing, it might have been hysteria, but the laugh quickly turned to chokes and coughs. Naomi's slender legs had merged into one, creating an elegant shape down to the fin where her toes had once been.

"Take me to see the sirens huh…?" I didn't look at Seyerna as I said it but I could practically hear her mind trying to piece together the words before she started laughing. Maybe a day after I'd met Seyerna she'd told me she'd take me to see the sirens.

Naomi was a magnificent creature, her tail a mix of orange, gold and white, soft in comparison to her blood red hair and yet a beautiful compliment. "Are you okay?" She whispered, only now realizing she was no longer singing, it had been so natural to hear her voice at the water's edge, like it should always be there. I nodded and looked out into the water to see several other sirens. I had been right about there being five. They were scattered across the beach and shallow waters but the one that caught my attention was the siren with two different color eyes, she glared at me with that same malicious look. What had I done?

"Nothing, Andorial is just like that. She did it to me when I first met her too." I looked over at Seyerna, Andorial? I looked back to the siren that had attacked me.

"I'm not going to hurt you, you know. I would never dream of hurting you."

The mermaid scoffed and flipped her tail out of the shallow water and splashing it viciously back down. She was as amazing as Naomi, her tail was a deep purple and royal blue, her hair was a shade of blue now that I was getting a better look at her, it was almost black though.

The voice that pursued was angelic, divine even, as soft as a rose petal and as graceful as a spring breeze; it's too bad the words that followed were said with such spite and malice; "As if you could hurt me, you're nothing but a feeble human."

I smiled, "Then why attack me?" She huffed and flipped over, sliding back into deeper water.

I looked back over at Naomi who was watching the other siren, with a sigh she turned to me, "She'll come around."

I gnawed my lip as the desire to touch her tail was becoming more and more apparent. I couldn't help but look from her tail to her eyes, it was only moments when she caught on and grinned at me, twisting around, lifting her tail up and flopping it across my lap.

I laughed and reached out to stroke the scales, they were wet but not how I imagined, I kind of thought they would be slimy, like a fish, her's just felt hard, cold and wet.

"Oh they'll get that slimy texture if she stays in the water for any more than a day. It's actually created by the ocean." Seyerna answered me and I almost smacked myself in the head, duh, algae. She looked at me strangely I just shook my head and went back to touching Naomi's tail.

"Naomi, you're beautiful! Why didn't you tell me!" She never got a chance to answer as suddenly she was raised from my lap. Caim had apparently snuck up on us, he twisted her around and held her siren body as if she were no heavier than a feather, sliding his arm under her tail and cradling her bridal. Their mouths touched before words and all the passion flooded between them.

I blushed and looked away to see an amused smile on Seyerna's face before rolling her eyes. "How did he find us?"

Seyerna looked at me and laughed, "You were here with the rest of us when she was singing right? I'm the deaf one not my son." Oh, that made sense; her voice had been pretty powerful. "Though I think he's tuned into her too, he always listens for her." I smiled, that was such a romantic thought, though I don't think it occurred to Seyerna.

Caim waded into the water fully dressed and collapsed to his knees letting Naomi float before him. To my utter amazement the five other sirens gathered around, touching his arms and hair, even Andorial cuddled up beside him. I looked at Seyerna for answers, "Sirens live in a different culture than us. There are no male sirens, only females. Though that's not why Andorial attacked you before you go jumping to conclusions. Caim earned the right to be among them." I nodded, I guess if he was going to love one of them he needed to understand the culture, it wasn't like religion where you could just change, this was a part of Naomi, when she got in the water she was a siren. No, because she'd been standing in the water for a while, for that much she'd taken baths with me, what was the trick? Seyerna shrugged, "Dunno doll, I do know not all sirens can change their tail into a set of legs though."

Seyerna's curiosity was as thick as mine as she stood up and went to the water's edge, "Andorial," I couldn't help but wonder why she'd asked the mean one. "Is it a choice to transform into a human. We noticed Naomi didn't always transform when in contact with water. For that much, why can only some sirens do it?"

Andorial flipped away from Caim to beach herself beside Seyerna whom kneeled beside her. I was nervous as hell she'd yank Seyerna into the water, but she never did, instead she smiled at her a brilliant and beautiful smile her eyes having gone soft and kind at some point. "It's a choice for those that can do it, but when we're in contact with water there's a very, very strong desire to shift. Young sirens who can shift often have trouble resisting the urge. As for who can shift, it's a blood thing. I'm not sure where it started; I suppose some young siren who fell in love with a biped and just haaad to have him." Andorial rolled her eyes and looked at Naomi but the action was playful.

Naomi eventually persuaded me to wade into the water again, but only after she told Andorial she had to go into deeper water, even then I was leery of the mermaid. Caim had stripped down to his pants and I had to blush at the toned body that was exposed, it didn't help that Naomi was shameless in running her hands all over his bronzed chest. They kissed every other minute it seemed and he was more than happy to sit in the breach and cradle her in his lap, stroking her tail in a way that reminded me of Sesshoumaru stroking down my thighs, except Caim was tanned. The other sirens weaved around him and stole kisses from his shoulders and back, touching his thighs and calves. I couldn't fathom allowing someone else to touch Sesshoumaru like that, it made me sick just thinking about it, but to Naomi it seemed perfectly normal.

Naomi grabbed my arm and pulled me over to her, surprising me with her feat of strength as she lifted me up and pulled me into her lap while she was still in Caim's. Caim didn't seem to see a problem with this, nor did he see a problem when Naomi kissed my mouth, he just laughed when he saw the amazingly confused look on my face.

"She doesn't understand, Naomi." Yea, I didn't… at all. I wasn't particularly close to Caim so that made this position even more awkward for me.

Naomi frowned, "Kagome, we've been intimate before." Naomi pointed out to me, stroking my bare arms, the kimono having been pulled off of me, now only in my breast binding and a simple cloth around my hips. Strange that how I had gone from my so short school uniform to being almost always naked to a full length kimono and I was somehow feeling modest.

"Naomi, that was different, we didn't have a choice first off, and it was before I knew about you and Caim and before Sesshoumaru and I mated…." She tackled me, somehow twisting out positions so she was on top of me, her tail forced itself between my legs and holding me in the shallow kiss of each wave.

"So you didn't enjoy me?" My mouth fell open, well I had, but it was my first experience with a female.

"Naomi, you need to explain your thoughts on sex first, she doesn't understand." Naomi looked over her shoulder at Caim and I looked at him pleadingly. He just laughed.

Seyerna spoke up then and only at that moment did I notice her across the way with Andorial cradled against her, the mermaid was on her back her eyes closed her bust completely exposed as her hair had fallen away. I hate to admit it but she was a gorgeous creature with an ample chest I was shamefully staring at. Seyerna's hand was rest on her rib, dangerously close to one glorious breast and I wanted to bite it!

At the thought I finally forced myself to look away, feeling like a horny nympho for the terrible though. Seyerna was choking on a bad attempt at not laughing. "As I was going to say…" She finally managed between coughs, "Sirens don't have males, they produce by seducing a human male, mating with him and killing him."

I choked, "What!" Turning my attention to Naomi she was shamefully staring away.

Caim started laughing than, "Naomi did try to kill me, she almost did too, for the life of me I can't figure out what made her quit. She sang one night and I came to the shore to find the bearer of such a voice only to meet my first mermaid. I went to her when beckoned and before I knew it she'd grabbed me around the collar and yanked me into the water. I remember kissing her and touching her, feeling down the length of her tail. I urged her to shore laying her in the break and made slow love to her. When it was over I lay beside her but I couldn't stop kissing her, touching her and then one minute she was kissing me the next she was dragging me to the depths of the ocean. I'm ashamed to admit I was too amazed at her tail and the way her lithe body rubbed against mine to care too much as she pulled me deeper and deeper into the blackness. For some reason she quit though, let me go and I swam to the surface." I changed my attention to Naomi expecting to hear the other version of the truth.

She fidgeted a bit, numbly playing with the bits of fin that hung loosely from her hips. "He looked at me; he kept staring into my eyes. My sisters told me they tend to fight and glare at you like you're the devil. That they'll violently take your body and it'll hurt but that it's our duty to reproduce and all mermaids must endure it at least once. But Caim didn't, when he took me it was amazing. We'd been kissing and touching and somehow he brought me to shore, it was something we were never supposed to allow, to make sure he stayed in our territory and to not let him drag you to land. Caim did though and then he pleasured me. I was amazed; I'd always been told it was a painful, terrible and tragic experience. It wasn't till we finished that I attempt to follow in my sister's foot steps to kill the male. I tried to drown him I really did, but he never passed out! It wasn't until I returned to my sisters that I found out he was a demon and not a human and thus took much longer to drown. Even still, he watched me like I was an angel as I attempted to drag him to his death. I couldn't stand the look in his eyes; I couldn't kill him when it was nothing like what my sisters' had described, so I let him go and hurried away before he could catch me." Naomi was watching Caim dreamily and shifted closer to him, letting him pull her back into his lap so they could kiss again.

Ultimately as romantic as this was it really didn't seem to answer my questions, except that mermaids killed their lovers when they were done with them. Course there was also a vague curiosity of how mermaids did it and where their vagina was….

Seyerna chuckled, "Kagome, sex isn't as special to mermaids as it is to us. You ever wonder why Naomi wasn't particularly depressed about being Lord Raidon's pet?" I considered her words rolling them around in my head, yea I remembered it, but I still couldn't piece it together, it was an abstract thought for sex to be anything other than sacred; something that occurs between people who love each other.

"Stupid human." I shifted my attention to Andorial to see her eyes still closed, resting peacefully on the beach. "If you didn't put so much concern into sex and just did it you wouldn't have so much trouble understanding. We need sex to reproduce so we find a willing male, take his seed and kill him. Men are worth little more than reproduction anyway. I've seen how human women are treated for letting their men live. Caim knows if he hurts my sister I'll kill him…." I don't know if Caim believed that but I sure did, Andorial was nothing if not intimidating.

Another mermaid had snuck up behind me and rubbed her hand down my side and hip, I squeak and twisted around only to be pinned on the ground, the mermaid kissing over my chest and collar. "Don't worry, we won't kill you if you decide to play with us. Human females are so soft…." She purred to me and nipped my shoulder.

I'm sure I looked a bit like a tomato being kissed by a woman I didn't even know, "Bisexual too huh…." I whispered the words but Naomi heard them.

"I did notice in my time around humans that they are oddly picky as far as gender is concerned. While our means of reproduction is generally unpleasant, it doesn't mean we don't enjoy playing with our sisters." It was a curious thought if nothing else; humans did seem to be rather homophobic compared to the races I'd been introduced to as of late.

The mermaid on top of me nuzzled my shoulder, "I'm Mira," Mira had gold blond hair with remarkable huge brown eyes and a green tail. I had to give in to their way, the sirens were a very affectionate lot they wanted to touch and be touched. Before night fell the other two, meaning not Andorial, had approached me and touched my legs and feet. I received a kiss from each of them, but it was swift and felt more like a greeting. At one point one of them teased that once Andorial heard me moan a few times she'd come around. I squeezed my legs together at that and managed to brush it off with a giggle.

"Naomi, why did you stay at the palace if you had a home here?" It was a random thought that struck me as I was building a fire on the beach. "You could have escaped."

Naomi had pulled herself onto the shore, her tail still being stroked by the ocean; the other mermaids, save Andorial, had disappeared back into the ocean. "I stayed for you, Kagome. I mean I couldn't escape Raidon; I was always in chains with him, however when I fell into Sesshoumaru's care I didn't have as much of a reason to escape. Sesshoumaru wasn't a bad master, he was kind and always made sure I was fed and had a place to sleep. Then I found out about Lord Raidon's murder. I considered going back to the ocean, but I didn't know if it would help Caim find me or if it was better that he stayed away anyway. I also had no idea how much was known about the incident, I knew it was Caim because he swore to me he'd kill him, as far as I knew, no one else had a reason too. It became a waiting game, there was nothing to be done and I knew Sesshoumaru was allied with Raidon so I figured I could find out the most information by staying put."

I heard the words but I was too busy thinking about the fact that Sesshoumaru had bought Naomi like he had Ai for me, either to make me more comfortable in his home or to seduce me. It seemed awkward but I had to remind myself it was a different time slavery was common and acceptable. I could be happy that Sesshoumaru didn't torture his slaves, well… he had tortured me but somehow that seemed different. I had enjoyed what he'd done to me when I was his pet, had wanted it on some level.

I'm sure Seyerna had explained to Caim the situation, letting him know he was to pledge his loyalties to Sesshoumaru as he suddenly stomped into camp, picking Naomi from the ground and carrying her out into the water. Seyerna breached the forest moments later and walked casually across the field, she smiled trying to reassure me as she continued down to the beach to Andorial. She crouched by the mermaid and spoke softly to her. Andorial rose onto her palms as high as she could and kissed Seyerna briefly before leaving, then Seyerna returned to me, sitting across the fire from me. I watched out in the distance, way out in the water I could see Naomi and Caim, Caim having surrendered to Naomi's territory as she literally swam circles around him. They swam down the coast and I watched them till they were out of sight, Naomi having to constantly loop back around. I imagined they were going off for private time, but vaguely I worried Caim wouldn't return.

"He knows better. He's just upset, he wanted to be the hero and instead he caused more problems." I watched Seyerna, but her eyes were closed. "Should get some rest, I wanna get back to the palace by tomorrow night, so we'll be up early." I nodded and laid down, a blanket protecting me from the sand. For the first time in many nights sleep came quickly and my rest was dreamless, peacefully floating in a dark abyss.

(Mermaid Sex, my theory is that there are only females and there is a slit/vagina on the under belly of their tails proportionate to where our vagina is but instead of being wedged between legs it's on the front hidden by scales. I have no idea about a clit…. Use your imagination.)


	32. Chapter 32

Upon our return my friends were already there anxiously awaiting my return for the moment I stepped foot through the doors Shippo dove into my chest. I cradled the kit not realizing how much I'd missed him until suddenly tears were blurring my vision. Sango touched my shoulder and Kirara moved across our bodies to perch on my shoulder and nuzzle my cheek. Oh I'd missed them all so very much. Caim followed in behind with Naomi beside her, I have no idea where Seyerna had disappeared too but Sango instantly tensed up at the new demon, she relaxed only when I assured her with a squeeze to her shoulder. I was amazed at myself, before I barely noticed anything was wrong, but as I watched her I knew that was a normal reaction for her when a new demon lingered, I just hadn't noticed it, hadn't been trained to pick up on it. Caim introduced himself to Sango, making a point of saying he was Seyerna's son. It seemed a strange thing to say, at least the way he felt the need to blatantly put it out there.

Naomi ushered us from the hall to a tea room where we found Ai, she was as nervous as ever fidgeting and blushing like a virgin about to lose it. I chuckled and gave her a welcoming hug. She was reluctant but I managed to get her to sit down as Naomi served tea. It occurred to me at that moment that Caim was the only male among us and he was perfectly comfortable among so many different females of so many different races. It was surreal sitting back looking at these people who were friends to me. Ai an elf, Naomi a siren, Caim a demon and me and Sango humans, and yet they all sat around the same table talking of weather and the next big thing.

This was a wonderful visage but we were missing people, Seyerna of course but what about… "Sango, where's Miroku?"

The dark haired woman looked up at me from her tea cup, smiling and patting the seat beside her. "He's with Sage; those two can talk for hours I swear. While Sesshoumaru hasn't even shown his face once, Sage was happy to show us around and introduced us to the staff and anyone else he felt was interesting. Last I seen the two they were locked in an epic battle of chess." I laughed at her choice of words taking the seat beside her and instantly Shippo dove into my lap, cuddling my stomach.

Ai wiggled in her seat beside me sitting with her head bowed, her hands locked together in her lap. I poured her tea and urged her to take it. "Ai, we're all friends here, there's no Lords or Ladies among us, no peasants or slaves, just friends…." I tried to reassure her but she still shook when she took the tea cup.

Just as I was sighing in defeat I could hear Sage and Miroku talking as they rounded the corner into the small room. Miroku looked up at me and smile bright, "Kagome, it's so good to see you back safe and sound! Sage was telling me all about Seyerna and her son Caim." He looked down as Caim turned at his name, "You, I presume?"

Caim smiled and nodded, "I hope Sage didn't give you too much trouble cause he annoys the hell out of me!"

I laughed with the boys. Sage and Miroku found a seat together still talking about god knows what.

At some point Tsumi came in leading several other servants all of them carrying platters of food and pitchers of wine. We all ate together in the room that wasn't big enough for the full course meal but it was an intimate and fun environment, I just wish InuYasha was here.

For the past three days everything had been wonderful and carefree but as I opened the door to Sesshoumaru's study I was reminded that we were in the middle of a war with Naraku. Seeing Seyerna sitting on Sesshoumaru's desk while he stood across the room, both of them were watching me when I entered. There was no sneaking up on these two but I knew they were discussing Naraku, just a feeling.

Seyerna was in her dark glory looking like a malicious shadow, how she managed to look so evil and yet I knew her to be something completely different was beyond me. Her clothes had changed into a glorious black kimono tied at the waist with a red and black sash accentuating her tiny waist and voluptuous curves. Her eyes looked like orbs of demonic blood peering beneath her razored bangs. I looked away as something wasn't right with her attitude. I moved my attention to my mate, Sesshoumaru, he was dressed in his usual white though lacking his armor. He watched me but his eyes were ice, they didn't have the cruelty and pain that Seyerna's did instead they held nothing; had I don't something wrong to make them look at me like this?

"No, Kagome, we were just discussing Ai and what our next action would be." I looked at Seyerna but her eyes still looked vicious shrouded by her dark hair. She suddenly pushed off of the desk and brushed past me leaving me alone with Sesshoumaru an odd action considering she was fully aware of my situation with him.

"What's going on?" I knew I should be more interested in the situation with Naraku but my mind was too busy thinking about what would happen in the bedroom tonight; still I prided myself at staying on topic.

"Naraku paid us a visit in your absence. Ai's sister is likely deceased. I'm sure he was just trying to be intimidating by approaching me at my home." Sesshoumaru moved around to the other side of his desk, sitting down to read over the papers there, I could see his shoulders visibly fall. He wasn't telling me everything….

"Sesshoumaru, we can't defeat him if you're going to keep secrets." He looked up at me and I could see the guard in his eyes visibly reinforcing itself. I sighed.

"Seyerna and Sage will be leaving us for a while. Seyerna's going to gather allies for the coming war; she'll be able to convince individuals who would otherwise stand against the west. We will be leaving as well to gather your shards." I was speechless I had no idea how to respond to this. This was seriously going to turn into an all-out war; still I felt he wasn't telling me everything about the meeting with Naraku.

"Come, sit with me, my love." The words felt like they didn't belong on his lips, alien and otherworldly. Slowly I felt my body moving towards him, the fantasy of the last three days coming back to me with each step, feeling like I was in a dream when his arms encompassed my waist. So gently, so softly he pulled me down so I sat on his thighs. The way his arms moved around me, how one settled in the bend of my waist and the other stroked my thigh was chilling. I grabbed his collar, but kept my head bowed, afraid to meet his eyes, terrified of what would be there, the word 'love' still ringing in my ears and pulsing with each breath.

It was so easy, so easy to forget why I was angry at him when his arms held me so tenderly, so easy to forget all the hardships in life, I could let him take me away to a world of pleasure and desire and I wouldn't even remember my name when he was done. Morals wouldn't let me submit to that though. I breathed a few deep breaths and reminded myself that I didn't have room for a life like that, that this man still didn't deserve my trust and that Naraku was still out there harassing innocent people.

Sesshoumaru didn't let me leave his side once I submitted to sitting in his lap. It hadn't occurred to me when I originally did it that it was a sign of submission which I was not doing! Alas here I was draped across his lap reading quietly to myself as he shuffled through paperwork. It was so much like old times and yet so very different, the atmosphere was different and I was here by choice not because I was a slave and had to, of course I had been forced into this mating, but it didn't feel like I was being held in his lap against my will at this moment.

He stopped his paperwork and watched me, I struggled to focus on the book but I found myself reading the same paragraph over and over not able to understand it with his intense stare. I gave up and peeked over the book at him with nervous eyes. To my utter shock he smiled, not smirked, but smiled, baring his fangs and thinning his lusciously lips just enough to prove it was in fact a smile. My heart melted and I could feel it pooling in my abdomen, that smile had sin written all over it.

My heart finally started beating again moments later only for him to pull the book from my hands and lean in to steal a kiss from my mouth. I moaned almost instantly, ashamed of myself for not even trying to resist even if I had promised I wouldn't. It wasn't fire nor ice that he smothered me with; it was warmth, sweet warmth that cradled me that I could feel sliding down my sides and making my thighs tingle. The kiss was so tender and sweet, his tongue gently sweeping across my lips as we slanted perfectly against the other, our mouths only open enough to taste the others divine sweetness. I let him invade my mouth, it was like nothing we'd shared before, it was slow and sensual, instead of the usual demand and submission; this was a gentle seduction.

His arms supported me as he pulled me to sit up, my own arms slipped around his neck and my hands found themselves tangled in his endless hair. Our mouths never left the others, the kiss was intoxicating and mind numbing. Up and down, up and down his hands moved across my back and over my shoulder blades, he squeezed and pushed at the tender muscles, releasing me from all my pent up thoughts.

The kiss broke to give way to his words, words that I didn't understand; "Will you forgive me? Give yourself to me…." He purred to me and I didn't understand what he was asking.

"Only when you surrender to me…." And the words must have fallen from my subconscious because I didn't understand what we were discussing in the first place, but somehow I knew they fit. Surrender to me…. It was so sexy and so right. I wanted all of this man. I wanted him on his knees for me.

I heard him growl but didn't understand why as the passion suddenly broke and he flipped me over too fast for my mind to make heads or tails of the action. My mind spun and I struggled to find my location, the hard cold wood pressed against my chest, my hips rammed against the desk. I pushed up but his hand held me down, firmly positioned between my shoulder blades. I felt him pulling on my kimono just about ripping it from me as he fought with the resistant fabric to expose my rear. As the cool air in the room finally wafted across my exposed bottom I had to resist the urge to shutter, to whimper with excitement. I wanted to hate that he dominated me, to never enjoy it and be able to be angry at him when he did such humiliating things to me, but as his hand squeezed my bottom I moaned not shrieked like I wished I would do. He leaned over me and fisted his hand in my hair yanking back roughly and biting at my exposed neck. "You will submit to me!" He growled at me.

This was ridiculous, "I have submitted to you!" I cried to him. "You can't force me to forgive you! Throw me off another cliff if it'll make you feel better! Do it already so I finally have the nerve to run away! So I finally know that I mean nothing to you and I can break off whatever in my heart is keeping me here!" It was morbid that I was still turned on as tears streamed from my eyes. I felt his claws squeeze my ass I swore he'd break the skin that any moment there would be blood running down the back of my thigh, but I didn't make a sound, just gripped the table tighter. I did groan when his claws moved up and I was certain there was blood I could feel it slowly riveting down my thigh. I shook from being nervous, scared and a bit turned on.

Sesshoumaru kneeled behind me and slowly almost torturously I felt his tongue touch the back of my thigh, sliding up form where the blood had drawn a line. I trembled, holy mercy. His tongue was rough and soft at the same time, almost tickling from the individual strokes. Where each claw had imprinted in my skin was another line of blood, each line was lapped up like a delicacy. I couldn't bring myself to move, my legs were shaking, realizing I was standing on my toes and straining to hold myself still with each lick I could feel my knees tremble.

Another long lick and he moved another inch closer to my womanhood. "Sesss…." I whined and pressed my forehead to the desk, digging my nails into the merciless wood. He licked again and this time his tongue just barely graced my lips, I cried out and my arms strained from the constant flexed position.

Sesshoumaru licked and kissed each wound until they no longer bleed. He bit the fleshiness of my rear and the yelp I made caught me off guard, of course so did the sensation that travelled directly to my loins. His bites were soft and playful, nipping down the back of my thigh and then back up to bite my bottom again. I fidgeted and squirmed, whimpering even more as he wedged his hands between my thighs and urged me to part my legs. I obeyed, oddly spreading them from my bent over position, exposing myself to him. He wasted no time in teasing me further, his tongue pressed against my lips and licked backwards from the direction I was accustom too, stopping just past my entrance than sliding back towards my clit. The licks were soft and gentle barely enough to push between my swollen labia. He pressed a little harder and swirled his tongue around my clit, the insatiable urge to squeal was unavoidable when met with the pressure of his hands keeping my legs parted. The squeal was muffled into my arms, biting the meat of my own shoulders. My clit was sucked into his mouth where his lips held it while his tongue lashed against it mercilessly. I cried out and desperately tried to writhe and escape the unbearable sensation but he held me in place, squeezing high on my thighs. His tongue was so rough and so nimble, he managed to find that spot on my clit that made my leg twitch and wickedly tortured it over and over one merciless lick after another. He forced me to orgasm from this and I mean forced because I was just about trying to kick him, it was so intense I felt like I couldn't breathe but he moved his hands however he needed to keep me victim. The more I struggled the more he pushed, when I tried to kick him he grabbed my ankle and pushed back so my heel pressed into the back of my leg and still he licked and sucked on my clit. Tears were coursing down my face, my chest was heaving with each breath. I was barely holding myself on the toes of one foot when my body stumbled over the edge into euphoria my screams deaf in my fogged mind. He kept licking though and my body was on over drive at this point. "St-stooop puh-pleasse…" I begged barely forming the words into a coherent sound. Still he licked and sucked on the swollen and bruised nub until my body finally gave one final heave and I struggled no more, finally and through some act of the god of mercy the high hit a plateau and started down the never ending hill of ecstasy.

I was limp on the desk while he moved up my body leaning over me, the heat of his body making me feel like I was in an inferno, already sweating from my passion now smoldered under his weight and desire. His hands moved up and down my sides and back rubbing my tender bottom. His mouth found my ear suckling and nibbling. "Sess…." I couldn't take any more teasing. He didn't keep me waiting as his hands were fumbling between our bodies and the next moment he was resting against my butt. Slowly he pushed into me, placing a hand between my shoulders and keeping me in place while he thrust himself into me.

Sex with him was always amazing. He left me no room to push against him, he worked me and made me call out his name with every rough thrust. His hand in my hair pulled my head back and I yelped, squeezing him as tightly as I could. He pushed against me as merciless as ever in every thrust. "Sesshoumaru…." I cooed his name and he pushed harder and harder, I could hear him grunt with every thrust, drawing closer and bringing me to my second orgasm. My body was already high on pleasure, over worked from his oral magic and now desperate to be brought to that plateau again though I'd never admit it. When he came inside of me I could feel the heat seeping into my every crevice. I came only moments later, shuttering with the force.

(I'm afraid that's as close to blood play as I think I can get. ^^;)


	33. Chapter 33

(I'm ganna make a quick apology cause it occurs to me I couldn't care less what happens to Miroku and Sango, not that I don't like them in the series, just that I don't really 'feel' their characters like I do Sesshoumaru's and Kagome's. For that much I know Rin, Jaken, and Shippo have been severally neglected but they're side characters at best in my eyes, so I have trouble remembering to incorporate them as I run wild with this story, I hope no one minds too much.)

Morning came too quickly it seemed, Sesshoumaru was still beside me in our huge bed, but I had grown fond of sleeping in the middle of the furs and plush pillows. Naomi always seemed to know when I had awakened as in the next moments she would slip into the room as quiet as a mouse and go about her job. I watched her busy herself around the room, Sesshoumaru's arm shifted over my hip letting me know he was awake. Life came back to me in small bits, more so when I turned to see Sesshoumaru's gold eyes staring up at me. Had I forgiven him? I lay with him whenever he wanted, I kissed him without restraint, it was easy to think there was nothing wrong. Sometimes I had trouble remembering why there was a problem, I had to consciously decide to be angry at him anymore, but that seemed to be my flaw; I was too nice. Seyerna at some point probably pointed it out to me, told me to cut it out I'm sure, but it's a part of me, not just a personality flaw but a piece of my heart and soul. I vomit kindness. The thought made me smile and Sesshoumaru furrowed his brows at it, I smiled more at him. If I forgave him, would he do it again? Would I turn into another woman on the news whom is viciously beat by her husband only to bail him out of jail saying he swore he'd never do it again, only for it to happen next week? Would he ever hurt me to the point it threatened my life? My sanity as it were? Would he harm our children? My children if he refused to love them? Could I take that chance? No, I realized I couldn't, and thus the game of anger and war continues.

I sighed and rolled away from him, putting my feet to the floor of the edge of the bed, at some point in the night my kimono had disappeared. Vaguely I wondered if I was pregnant, touching my stomach, I didn't feel pregnant, but then, what does being pregnant feel like? I certainly didn't have any knowledge on that. How long would it take to show? Would Sesshoumaru be able to smell it? Would Seyerna sense it? Would either of them tell me if I was?

Naomi came over to me and laid a silk white robe over my shoulders, offering to help me bathe. I shook my head but her words brought another thought to mind….

"I want Naomi, Ai and Seyerna – if you intend to put her to work – to be my ladies-in-waiting." Sesshoumaru sat up at that and I turned to look at him hoping my face was determined and not bemused as I felt.

His brows furrowed again in confusion, but I didn't speak another word, maybe his pride would make him say yes, not willing to admit he didn't know the term, he shouldn't, it was a European term and I don't think it became popular for a while still. I would not be so lucky though; "I'm not familiar with this title." He gave me an icy response but I saw threw it, he was wondering what I was plotting, in all actuality I was plotting nothing, I just didn't care to be waited on and I didn't want any of them to have to sexually serve someone, though there was still Seyerna's agreement in place I didn't know if that extended to Naomi or Ai.

"They'll be my personal servants, companions really, to follow me around and do as I bid and only as I bid. Their job will be simply to please me and amuse me, not to wash dishes… or men…." I felt myself darken at that, I'd been a slave and I knew what happened to unimportant women, this would not occur on my time to my friends if I could help it.

Sesshoumaru laid back down as he considered this, staring up at me, gauging me, trying to decide if I was trying to trick him. The trust in this relationship was definitely lacking. "Fine." And I was mildly surprised he had agreed to it, but then again I had to remind myself, he felt bad, he actually did feel guilt but whether he knew I realized this or not was in question.

Naomi was as confused as Sesshoumaru but I smiled at her and took her arm, "What… does this mean?" She questioned as I lead her into the bathroom.

"It means we're going to wash away the callouses on your hands and we're going to learn how to dance, sing and play instruments." I was making it up at this point but in all actuality what else was I to do in this era? It was officially my home. I felt my heart break a little at the thought but I didn't let the tears reach my eyes.

Naomi and I bathed quickly and when we returned Sesshoumaru was gone and I was reminded he'd said Seyerna would be leaving today. I looked at Naomi in terror as I feared missing her departure but Naomi was quick already knowing where everything was she had me dressed in minutes and herself in less. I went to run down the hall but she ended up grabbing me and leading me in the other direction, honestly I had no idea how she remembered which way to go, it all looked the same to me. Alas she knew each turn and talked aimlessly as we walked, though I was desperately trying to urge Naomi to walk faster.

We came to the main entrance and Seyerna was still there, Sage standing like a statue beside her, but in the next moment his expression changed as Miroku approached him and the two males were instantly lost in their conversation. I hurried ahead of Naomi, bolted past Sesshoumaru and stopped just in front of Seyerna.

"Where will you be going?" I inquired quickly, keeping my thoughts blank so she couldn't twist an answer around them.

"To find allies." She answered simply and again I got the impression there was something not being told to me. I frowned, but she smiled at me.

"What kind of allies? We already have almost an army, what more do we need?" I was trying to be clever but I knew I'd end up looking stupid for it; still curiosity pecked away at me.

Seyerna chuckled softly, "I know you've faced Naraku before, little one, and I know from your thoughts that he doesn't stand alone. We have reason to believe his army is going to get bigger and stronger. So I'm going to hunt down bigger and stronger allies."

She went to step away and I grabbed her forearm in what I believed to be a firm grip, "I know you're keeping something from me. Both you and Sesshoumaru know about it and someone's going to tell me." I hoped I sounded intimidating.

Seyerna smiled but it was a dark malicious smile, tilting her head down to shroud her eyes in the shadow. "Don't threaten me, Kagome. If something is being kept from you it's because you haven't yet learned how to stay out of the way." Silence stretched between us, my stomach coiled into painful knots, from fear of actually standing up to Seyerna and possibly anger her.

She changed suddenly, looking up and smiling brightly, "Ai is going to teach you how to manipulate your scent as an elf she'll be a lot better at it than Sage or I." She tilted my chin up and kissed my forehead, "Don't do anything stupid, Kagome, the gods are not currently in our favor…." I didn't know what she meant by that, but my mind was desperately trying to make sense of it, what had happened? What had Naraku done or said in our absence? For that much why did Sesshoumaru trust Seyerna with the knowledge but not me? But then again, she could have just read his mind for the information.

Sage took Seyerna's hand and led her from the palace grounds. I was shaking I realized, not sure how to interpret Seyerna's attitude or what to do with the knowledge – or lack thereof - that something was being hidden from me. Seyerna had definitely made my skin crawl, the sound of her voice, the void to her eyes, it gave me chills, but I was just as much scared as I was pissed off, how dare they kept things from me! And what did she mean I 'haven't yet learned how to stay out of the way?'

I really, really, REALLY wanted to hit something. It was a foreign feeling for me, but I wanted to touch my power, remind myself I was strong. I wanted to bring back the feelings of when Seyerna told InuYasha I was stronger than Kikyou, I wanted to prove it!

My body was moving before I knew where I was going. As I wound my way down hall after hall my mind started to clear and I knew I was headed to the dojo, I hadn't even been there personally but I knew form sheer sound; the constant clash of steel that echoed from the halls leading to it. When I found the door I stared for the longest moment realizing what I was doing and where I was. Caim was the first form I recognized, fighting with another demon I didn't know. I scanned the room, quickly finding the weapon rack and not caring if I took someone else's bow or if I was even allowed in here. I went straight for the rack and when my fingers touched the wood I reminded myself I was the lady of this palace, I would do what I wanted. The demons closest to me stopped and stared at me as I armed myself with the bow and a full quiver of arrows. Though I had a desperate desire to take the sword lying beside it and hack something with it, just looking at it I knew I wouldn't be able to lift it. I walked away from the rack with just the bow and arrows, but the giant claymore kept blinking in my mind. I had to walk all the way across the room that rivaled the size of a football field, maybe more. They stopped and stared at me like I was alien. When I stopped at the targets they were all occupied though the demons were too busy staring at me instead of shooting.

Caim stepped out of the dust it seemed and pulled a demon from the lineup, motioning for me to take his place. I didn't argue, merely moved to stand before the target. Caim watched me like a hawk as I raised my bow, notched the arrow, aimed and let it go. It wasn't a perfect shot, but it still made me feel like a weight from my shoulders had flown off like water. I breathed deep, "You know your mother left… to find allies?" I quoted sarcastically as I pulled back another arrow. "You weren't there to see her off." I let go of the arrow and it got closer to the bull's-eye but not quite.

"In case you haven't noticed, Kagome, I'm several hundred years old, my mother does as she pleases whenever she pleases and I don't much care to follow her. It's not exactly healthy for one to follow her anyway." Caim stood a few feet beside me, watching as I took one shot after the other.

"What do you mean it's not healthy?" The next shot was clumsy, I was getting angry again just thinking about it; the bow string stung the inside of my arm viciously from my clumsy shot.

Caim was quick to compensate the problem, wrapping a guard around my wrist to protect the tender spot. It was intimate and affectionate in some way. I didn't know this man at all.

"My mother likes to play with fire, black fire…." He finally said, still it only confused me more, he sighed, sensing my confusion. "She's mentally unbalanced as it is, Iupiter might have been the one to blind her, but she was the one to deafen herself. She plays with things you and I can't even fathom, things that shouldn't exist in this would. Of course, I suppose Sage doesn't help. This is one of those cases, Kagome, where ignorance is truly bliss." I wanted to just accept it at that, the way Caim spoke, the melancholy look drowning in his eyes was the only thing that kept me from asking more questions. What was Seyerna going to do and how did it relate to Naraku?

I took several more shots before a delicate hand touched my elbow and I almost jumped out of my skin, twisting around so quickly I almost fell over, only Caim's solid hand on my shoulders keeping me from falling. Ai was the one that had touched me; Naomi was standing only a breath behind her.

"You need to pull the string back further before you release." I stared at Ai strangely, not registering the words. Ai held out her hand and I placed the bow in her hands, she took one of my arrows and proceeded to notch it and pull back the bow string, pulling it up by her slender ear, her hands never shook and I watched in amazement as her body went from timid and shy to tall, elegant and confident. Her eyes narrowed and I swear her violet eyes got darker as she focused on her target. When she let go of the string the arrow whistled before striking the bull's-eye.

She relaxed, smiled at me and gave the bow back but everyone, including myself, seemed to have jaw problems, mine just wouldn't close.

After a full minute I managed to mumble the words; "How… did you?"

She giggled, cheerfully and it was the first time I'd heard cheer from her, "I'm an elf, silly."

I pushed the bow back at her, "Do it again!" I cheered, suddenly excited by this new turn of events.

And she did, easily bringing the bow to its full potential and letting it slide through the air like water. "You do it now, you have wonderful form, but you need to be more confident. You guide the arrow, not the bow." I did as she bade, pulling back the arrow but she told me not to let it go, to hold it as long as I could. It only took seconds for my arms to shake from the power of the bow pulling back. "A good archer can hold the bow taunt for as long as need be." I was still shaking, trying not to laugh, my arms burning as I struggled to hold the position.

"It's important that you're not distracted by the shake of weak muscles when conducting magic." I looked over at Caim as he spoke to me, it made sense. "See if you can hold the position while conducting magic into the arrow." I did as he bade, well I tried to, but Ai kept telling me I was letting slack into the bow and to pull tighter. When Ai was satisfied my magic was trembling, Caim was right, I couldn't do it with my arms being too weak to hold the bow taunt. I kept trying though, having to take breaks more than I care to admit to because my arms just got too tired.

Finally, Naomi took the bow from me, laughing, she told me I wouldn't feel my arms tomorrow if I kept that up. The girls took me away and Caim followed behind us. We ate lunch together, Caim remained mostly silent, I was outrageously curious of him, was he anything like his mother? Sango and Miroku joined us for lunch and followed me and Ai to a large empty dining hall afterwards. Naomi and Caim had disappeared down another corridor.

Ai brought out huge pillows and we all sat down, time for more practicing I realized, but then Naomi and Caim came from the other door. Caim was carrying an oversized lute it looked like; he sat down across from us and strummed the instrument a few times.

"You know how to play?" I questioned curiously.

Caim looked up at me from his intense scrutiny of the strings, "You do realize my mother has traveled the world right? One day I'll make her dance for you. She's a wonderful dancer even if she doesn't care to admit it." I guess I never thought about it, Seyerna was a mind reader, a frightening demon, not a… dancer? It seemed like such a human thing. I mean human in comparison to what I knew demons to be. What else could she do? Could Sesshoumaru do anything like that? Could he dance? Or sing? Or play some instrument? It seemed unlikely but, moments ago I'd never have believed Caim could play the lute.

He continued to blow my mind as he started a soft tune, working the instrument with easy and skill, each strum was like silk sliding through the threads. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the tune, in moments it got even sweeter as Naomi's angelic voice accompanies the instrument. Together they weaved a song; creating music which I'm sure was impromptu.

Ai rubbed my forearm and I looked over at her. "We're going to work on manipulating your scent. I don't know how Seyerna teaches you, but she did tell me you could see things. So I want you to watch my aura and power. First I'm going to unleash everything, let my power flow freely so you can see what I'm working with, okay?"

At first I wondered why Caim and Naomi were playing but it quickly became obvious and Naomi started to influence me and I felt so relaxed I could curl up in Ai's lap and sleep right there. I closed my eyes and let Naomi's magical voice take me away and in moments I had transcended, an out of body experience it felt; watching their powers and their auras drift over and around each other, finding the fine line that defined power from aura and the slight differences in colors. Seyerna's wasn't like that I realized, her aura was pitch black but her power was a royal purple. Everyone around me seemed to have an aura that was similar in tone to their power, their power being the raw form of their magic and their aura being their soul that shelled it. Ai had a black spot, Caim had several, Sango and Miroku each had their own, Naomi's seemed almost perfect, strange that she had been raped and beat by the Eastern Lord and her aura showed no effect, then again, Seyerna had already pointed out to me sex was different to sirens. It's almost comical to consider that just because of the social differences the darkness in one's aura can be completely avoided, I guess it has to do with acceptance and being loved.

Returning to the task at hand I focused on Ai, her power was a pretty teal tone, dancing around her like a flow of fairies. Did fairies exist too? I didn't see why not. More random thoughts to be addressed later.

"Your scent is a real thing; it exists in this realm, not the magical realm. We must use elements from the magical world, bring them to this realm and use them to conceal our scent. We cannot get rid of our scent, for as long as our blood pumps, and our body produces fluids, oils, skin and more hair we produce a scent, so the object is to conceal it. To do this we are not removing it, just hiding it, covering it and making it match its surroundings. In a crowded room it's harder for a demon to pick out an individual scent than if the individual stands alone. So obviously it's going to be easier to hide when you're with a group of people. Hiding your scent and hiding your aura always go hand in hand and that's where it gets tricky because you have to use magic without letting it out. For the sake of this demonstration I'm not going to hide my aura and power."

And then it began the entire time I wondered if it would be easier or at least make more sense if I had the smelling capabilities of a dog. All it really looked like to me was magic. I stayed in tuned with the magical realm the entire time. I admit, Ai was amazing with magic, she could twist it and manipulate it however she liked, it was like watching water dance especially with the teal tone of her aura and power. She twisted it into wisps, her power almost disappearing as it gained a light airiness to it. Her power even changed colors, not a lot, but the slightest bit, enough to be noticeable only because I was watching so intently, I probably wouldn't have even realized it if I had been distracted by something else while she demonstrated.

When her aura and power stopped and returned to normal I opened my eyes to meet her violet eyes staring back at me. In the end I had no idea how I was going to go about this. The concept was too abstract for me I guess. It seemed like she manipulated her power a bit but didn't actually 'do' anything. An hour went by and both Ai and Caim were desperately trying to explain this to me. Miroku was trying to figure it out as well and he was just as confused. Another hour passed and we came to the point of just trying to manipulate the magic to the appropriate form, which wasn't difficult once I knew how too. Magic was strange; Seyerna had already informed me that each person manipulated their magic through different means. I used emotion and thought, knowing what it looked like helped me form an emotion to what the appearance of the desired form of magic made me feel. So I created the wispy effect though I had no idea what it was doing, I couldn't feel a difference.

With a sigh of frustration Naomi sat beside me and touched my arm. "You have to know what you want Kagome, you have to feel it and will it to happen." I stared at her a moment, did she have any idea what she was saying? I didn't know if she'd even the slightest idea how difficult this actually was, but I did know magic and I knew when I wanted something to happen I had to see the end results so what did the end results look like? You couldn't 'see' smell, but you could smell it. So I tried to think as abstractly as it was, thinking out side of the box. Instead of viewing it myself I first envisioned Sesshoumaru sniffing my neck, then I thought of him following my scent, though the visual was more of what InuYasha did, getting down on all fours and sniffing the ground, something I couldn't fathom Sesshoumaru doing. Then I thought of them not being able to find me, of InuYasha frantically looking for my invisible scent, but only smelling the earth. How would Sesshoumaru react though? Would he react? I don't know that he knows what defeat feels like, let alone being lost. And that's what it was I guess, I had to make myself disappear which was one of my biggest fears; being forgotten, being lost and no one even caring to look for me. But I'd already done that, I had run away from Sesshoumaru and spent a week in the wilderness alone with no one really looking for me. That was a silly thought and I forced myself to open my eyes, to look at the handful of people around me who actually cared about me. I didn't know why they cared about me, but they did. Even Caim whom I knew so little of was desperately trying to help me with nothing to gain from my success, but he'd still sat with me for the last two hours trying to help me discover the trick. These people cared about me; I had nothing to fear for I had plenty of people who valued me.

I closed my eyes again and I willed it to happen, I thought of a flower, a soft pink flower and I watched as the wind gently picked the petals from it and pulled them into the wind. Yes, the wind. I wanted to be like the wind, always there, but not always noticeable. I held tightly onto that thought as it made my heart slow down it seem, made a wave of calm ride of me, relaxing me physically and mentally. Suddenly I was the petal, gently wafting in the wind, being taken over mountains and rivers. I was free in a very abstract sense, and it was a beautiful feeling something I revealed in and hoped to hold onto forever. My petal felt no pain, no responsibility, just the gentle wind taking me to and fro, always loving as it grazed against me, never letting me fall and never disappointing me.

Everything had gone completely silent and I opened my eyes, Caim was smiling softly, the others staring at me intently. "You did it," Caim said. For a moment I was confused, the residue of the wind still seeming to rustle my clothes with the reminder but there was no actual wind, just in my head, just my magic taking me far away from all the stress of reality.

"Wind?" I whispered, and Caim looked at me strangely. I don't fully understand how thinking of wind helped me hide my scent, but I guess it sorta makes sense, the wind carries the scent away and if the wind picks up my scent and takes it away it's at the very least not where I actually am. I smiled and Naomi urged me to do it again though I had a feeling she couldn't actually tell if I'd done it or not. I did but this time I kept my eyes open, watching Caim's face to see when I had succeeded. It really took very little effort; it was just a matter or willing it to be, of letting the wind carry my magic away. No, my magic was the wind, the wisps of magic dancing around me and through my companions, spreading it out further and further until it seemed invisible among all the auras around me.

"Now we just need to show you how to do it with your aura hidden." That I couldn't fathom even being possible for when I hid my aura my power was locked away too.


	34. Chapter 34

(Please do not argue me about her age, I really didn't put that much thought into it, I just wrote down some numbers and said 'sure!' We've already determined this was never exact to the story anyway!)

It wasn't as terrible as I'd thought it would be, in fact it was tedious but not difficult. It was like I had shoved all my magic and aura into this tiny box and I made a pin prick in it, through that pin prick I pulled out only enough magic and only magic, not my aura, to hide my scent. I couldn't figure out why I had to hide my power too, I'd learned how to hide my aura and still use my power, but Caim pointed out that what was the point of hiding my scent if they could still feel my power, though Seyerna had made it seem like only the magically inclined would be able to pick up on my powers. Most people were magically inclined though, most people had some connection with the magical world, even Sesshoumaru's poison whip was sorta magical, liquid venom certainly didn't take a tangible form naturally after all.

After I had figured it out and managed to maintain it Caim and Naomi went back to performing for us and they were wonderful, perfectly complimenting each other. I was so damn jealous; I wanted what they had, what Seyerna and Sage had, the love, the affection, the simple happiness instead I had Sesshoumaru, ice, cold asshole that I couldn't trust. I tried to imagine they had bad sex but I knew Seyerna and Sage didn't, in fact I knew their sex life was amazing, and the way Naomi had spoken of Caim pleasuring her I doubted theirs was anything less than magical. It brought my thoughts to Miroku and Sango, had they progressed any in their denied relationship since I'd last seen them? I had a theory they didn't and I wasn't sure whose fault it was that they were trapped in this stale mate. Miroku as the male – in my opinion – should confront Sango, but how can he expect Sango to take him seriously when he's too busy groping other women, meh, I blame him. Stupid males. Seyerna had a perfect male, at least that's the way it seemed and what I knew of Caim so far made me think him the ideal mate too. She would pick the best male and raise her son to be the best as well. Damn her, and damn me for being in this life.

We stayed in the small intimate room for hours, servants would bring us snacks and drinks without ever being told and we'd resume chattering about nonsense. I inquired about Kikyou to Sango and Miroku, they had little to say of her and I honestly didn't want to hear of her, but it did make me question again if InuYasha had gone to her. Ai had blossomed like a flower since she'd helped me with my archery, exposing this talkative happy elf, exactly as I imagined elves would be. She had the most beautiful smile and I think her eyes sparkled even though the concealing spell still shrouded her in a certain layer of mystery, making me question what the visual differences were between an elf and a demon. Seyerna had rather long ears, maybe she was part elf. I asked Ai about her ears, if it was true the size of them, of course I only had myths and legends from my time to go on. She laughed surprised I'd never seen an actual elf, in fact all of them were except for Sango and Miroku who knew of where I'd come from anyway. I found out they were in fact as long as I thought they were. Guess it makes sense, it's not like we thought of these things out of nowhere, all the myths and legends had been formed from reality but for some reason didn't really exist in my world, in the future. I had seen demons back home but this world, this era was so much more magical, so many more fairy tales come to life, so where did they all go? Why did my era seem so void of life in comparison?

As it grew later and later they slowly disbursed, it was only when I was sitting alone that I remembered Sesshoumaru and I were to leave to start hunting jewel shards, had he forgotten? Or is he just in no hurry to leave? I didn't question my good luck, but it did bring about other questions. Would it be just us? Or would Sango and Miroku leave with us? What about all the others? Caim, Naomi, Ai? Would they leave with us as well? I leaned back, alone in the room that had felt tiny with all of us crammed inside now felt enormous with only me seated behind the one small desk that we'd all barely managed to cram all our hands onto to steal from the trays of food teetering on the too small surface.

I sipped from a goblet of wine and munched on some kind of bread. I'd never drank so much wine in my life, even though I was barely legal in the first place, I had drank occasionally before my 21st, still I had never been drunk, nor did I plan to intentionally become drunk, wine was just the drink of choice for this era. It had taken me awhile to get used to it, the alcohol in it was obvious, but after having it almost daily I stopped noticing the bitterness off the alcohol and instead picked up on the sweet berries the went into making it. I had considered drinking myself stupid, but after two goblets I realized that was stupid and just maintained my buzz, floating on the gentle happy waves.

I laid there with my eyes closed, dozing off, not really wanting to move, perfectly content in my jello state of mind, but the feeling of someone watching me became too powerful to ignore so I eventually – reluctantly – opened my eyes to see Sesshoumaru standing not two feet from me. I placed the wine back on the small table and waited for him to order me about, to command my obedience or demand that I love him. I smiled, the thought was utterly hilarious.

He did neither of those things; instead he kneeled beside me and held out his hand. For the longest time I just stared at his palm, the lines that were supposed to determine one's life, the soft wrinkles that showed how his hands bent the most, the callouses weaving around his fingers, the knobbiness of each knuckle, and the overall size, how much larger his hands were than mine. It was only at that thought did I realize I'd placed my hand into his, his fingers wrapping around my hand so I could see the talons protruding from each finger. He stood up and pulled me to my feet as well. Every action was gentle and slow, like we were in water, wafting around each other as he lead my body closer to his, strange, but 'pull' wasn't the right word for it, the slightest motion and I stepped forward until my chest meet his abdomen. My eyes were foggy when I looked up and I wasn't sure from what, just that his eyes were so soft in this shroud, so gentle and caressing me with each glance. His hand found my lower back, stroking up and down my spine, my other hand still gently held in his. The pressure to my back made me step closer, the position was familiar to me but I couldn't figure out why.

Then we started to move, slowly, swaying from side to side, I closed my eyes. Sesshoumaru leaned down to me, his breath on my cheek, "Open your eyes, Kagome…." He whispered to me in a sultry, husky voice that made my body purr in response. I obeyed, opening my eyes to watch his partially lidded ones while he guided me in a dance. I wanted music, something to make this less romantic than it actually was, something to make it seem like it was normal. As if on queue music began a soft harp I think, I barely glanced over to see a woman playing a lyre, held gently at her side. A servant, Tsumi, Sesshoumaru touched my chin, turning my attention back to him. I was wrong, the music made it worse, made my belly flutter. I had to be dreaming. Sesshoumaru twirled me away and gently rolled me back into his chest. There was no way Sesshoumaru knew how to dance. He twisted me again so I could meet his face once more, to see his dark gold eyes like molten honey, eating away at me. What was the point of this? Why? He couldn't possibly care! But then he slanted down and I didn't move, didn't try to escape when his mouth touched mine, a sweet seduction, so tender and delicious. I whined into his mouth, it wasn't fair.

Every step was precise, I felt helpless but to follow him and I hate to admit it wasn't a bad helpless, it was a very sexy, very alluring helpless. I was having trouble wrapping my mind around the fact that he didn't just have rhythm but that he actually knew the steps to this intimate waltz. I finally pushed the thought away and let him lead me in the dance I didn't actually know, but he made it so easy to move and flow against him like water. He never pulled or pushed me, no toes were crushed, the slightest sway, or… I don't even know, it's like he influence my mind to move a certain way, something about his body language told me how to move, which foot to place where and when. It was so easy and so amazingly sexy.

The room seemed small again but for him it was easy to keep from hitting walls, even when I thought he'd twirl me into one, I was inches from it. Sesshoumaru was always precise though, I knew that. He held me against his chest like a coveted jewel, cradling me and brushing his lips across my face before slowly descending me into a deep dip. I let him lead me, trusted him to hold me as I lean further and further back, his mouth torturing me in kisses that seemed innocent across my forehead but were quickly dancing down my cheeks, chin, neck and even my clothed breasts. The deeper I went into the dip the more he took advantage of kissing me, nudging his nose into my kimono exposing precious flesh to his wondering mouth.

But something changed suddenly, a cough, my eyes sprung open as I was pulled back to my feet, too quickly for the rhythm we'd maintained. A kiss was stolen from my mouth before I got to respond and suddenly he was gone. Quickly I twisted around to see Tsumi, the lyre silent against her bosom, she smiled at me and left and I was alone again, the short dream disappearing and leaving me aching for the tender affection. No one had done such for me before, not on that level. InuYasha had barely given me the time a day, the few kisses we'd shared were awkward and far from romantic, but that right there was the thing of romance novels, leaving me dizzy and confused, unbelieving of the reality of it. Slowly and reluctantly, hoping he'd return to shower me with more kisses, with more gentle sways, that never came, minutes passed and I accepted that the magic had disappeared and I left the room. I wandered back to the room that I had accepted as ours opening the door I found it was empty, this surprised me I'd been sure he'd be here, waiting for me to fulfill my end of our agreement: sex.

I stripped, he'd conditioned me to sleeping naked I guess or maybe I was hoping he'd come in on me. That never happened; instead I crawled into the bed alone and wrapped myself in the furs. I don't know how long I was awake but I eventually convinced myself he wasn't coming, even told myself that was a good thing, that I didn't want to have sex because he didn't deserve me. Still I was shivering when I did fall asleep; I couldn't seem to get warm enough.

I woke up alone, staring at the ceiling, the stone making an interesting pattern. I felt cold to the core so I escaped to the bathroom still naked I slipped right into the steaming water. We should leave today, no more playing around, we should go out and hunt for shards. It was my duty, or so I kept telling myself, but I'm not sure that it was anymore. I made it my duty because I was interested, because I felt mildly guilty for breaking it, but I'm not entirely sure it's a bad thing that I broke it. If it had been one whole piece InuYasha might have gotten it, might have made his wish to be a full demon and went rampant and destroyed everything, or some other demon would have; it was logical to think it was much stronger as one piece than as hundreds. Even if the jewel shard and my duty to restore it and guard it were in question, there was no doubt that Naraku needed to be taken care of. I had been doing a lot of dawdling, wallowing in my own misery instead of hunting shards, so I would have to insist we leave today. I felt a lot more confident in my abilities now, I was almost eager to return to the old tune, but the more I thought about it the more I knew it wouldn't be the same. InuYasha wouldn't be with us that's for sure, but Sesshoumaru would be. Would he complain like InuYasha? Or would he just abandon us when we got too tired to walk?

I finished my bath, finally warm again and dressed in a hunter green kimono, it was short, hit about mid-thigh, I wore brown tight fitted pants with it and tied the ensemble with a brown sash. It was different than normal, but the school uniform had always been awkward and made me feel out of place, this gave me a feel of a fighter, an adventurer; it boosted my confidence and made me want to hack and slash at monsters. I smiled at my reflection before pulling on the leather boots I had grown so accustom too and leaving the room to hunt down Sesshoumaru.

He wasn't in his study, nor was he in the dining hall or the tea room. I happened across Naomi and Caim but neither of them had seen him. Finally I found Tsumi tending to a small boy with a skinned knee. I could feel his demonic energy, my first impulse was to try to heal him, but remembering the way Sage battled with Seyerna's black power to heal her I decided he could tolerate the scrap. Tsumi was always so kind, she reminded me so much of Kaede, elderly, wise, and an almost grandmotherly appeal to her.

With Tsumi's directions I headed to the dojo, I hadn't seen Sesshoumaru fight in a long time and I've never seen him spar. Sure enough Sesshoumaru was in the dojo but he was alone, the room seemed massive with only Sesshoumaru inside, the other day it had almost been cramped with the number of demons crowded in it, now it seemed like a void space, Sesshoumaru practically glowing in his white regalia, surrounded by the dust and dirt. I didn't know what he was doing, but the grace to his every movement made me think of our dance the night before. He was slowly dragging tensaiga around, thrusting and then pulling back, circling over his head, twisting and slashing, all of this felt like it was done in a sort of slow motion to what I knew he could do. I became mesmerized watching the way his body shifted, how every muscle flexed and tensed for every action, the perfectly balanced foot work, stepping from side to side, forward and back each step he would ground himself again, sturdy and stable even on one foot.

It was a spur of the moment decision that compelled me to join him, wanting to move like he does, with all the grace of a swan. I picked up a slender sword, it was too heavy for me, but they were all too heavy for me, it was a training thing, I understood at least that much. As I moved to him I realized his eyes were closed as he did this sort of dancing sword play.

He positioned his sword straight up, pointing at the ceiling miles away it seemed, I mimicked it, raising the weapon, my arm wanting to shake under the weight as he held this pose and I was determined to hold it just as long. Then he swung it down in a wide arch, I followed, trying to make my body arch like his did. Another arch, across, twisting and pushing my hip out to the other side. He pulled the sword back and held it straight up and down in front of his face, bringing his other hand to touch the blade for several moments we stood like that. I breathed deep and then he moved again, thrusting the weapon out and arching over our heads.

Of course he knew I was here, even with his eyes closed he knew what I was doing, mimicking his beautiful motions wishing I had his inhuman grace, his ridiculous beauty. It occurred to me that the motions we were making were somehow simpler, at least simpler than what he'd been doing moments before, less twisting of the blade and less foot work – for me; I smiled.

Again we moved, and I was getting the pattern, following the basic movements, starting with the weapon poised over our heads then sweeping it down in a wide elegant swoop to point it at the ground, pulling back up and stretching the sword arm as far back as I could then sliding the blade through the air parallel to the ground, making my body roll with the action, like the other side of a scale trying to even out the sides, and then pulling it back to a straight up and down position to where my nose almost touched the sharp blade. Again and again we circled through this, I was sweating, my arms were exhausted, but on a better note, the weight of the blade didn't seem as… obvious. I was dancing with my eyes closed at this point, I had to count each motion though, and there was an even amount of seconds held in each pose, so many seconds that should be taken for each slash or swoop of the blade. I felt a bit like jello, stretching my body out into such exaggerated poses I felt like I should look ridiculous, but I knew from watching Sesshoumaru that wasn't the case, instead it reminded me of water.

As I brought the sword down for the I-don't-know how many times now, I was jerked from my routine as the sword met steel, my eyes flung open and were instantly glued to the end of my blade where a foreign sword prevented me from finishing the sweep. Tenseiga was solid, a brick wall against my quivering blade, brought from my dance the real world came falling down on me, my arms shaking and aching from the strain. I looked up to meet Sesshoumaru's eyes, staring at me, though his face appeared blank his eyes held a hint of mischief, again I found myself wondering when I learned to read his eyes, when he became such an open book to me. Suddenly he pushed with Tenseiga, grinding against my nameless weapon and knocking me off balance, I barely caught myself from landing on my rear. And then he came at me. I shrieked and ran. Yea, I suppose that doesn't make much sense, I knew he wouldn't actually hurt me, and it was Tenseiga he was using and for that much he was running at what I'd call human speed.

With a spur of courage I spun around and clashed blades with him. My arms already burned from the dance, and I was shaking, using my weight more than actual muscle to push back and I'm fairly certain Sesshoumaru could bench a dozen or so of me, if not more. He grinned at me and my heart skipped a beat, staring wide eyed at him before he pushed again, throwing my weapon to the side and my body following it, desperately trying to keep hold of it. I managed it, again barely as I landed on my knees and pushed myself back up like a sprinter, darting away again. I slipped behind a target dummy, sliding around behind it and eyeing Sesshoumaru from between the thing's arm and head. Sesshoumaru stood stoic, the grin long gone, but still the shine of mischief glared at me teasingly from his golden eyes. Slowly he walked to the dummy; I kept myself perfectly placed on the other side of it, prepared to dart to the left or right. The next movement he decided to change the rules, no longer playing the game as a human, but using his demonic speed to move around the dummy. I squeaked and tried to run again, but he grabbed me as I knew he would the moment he moved, his grip on my wrist, firm but not painfully so. However he'd grabbed my unarmed wrist so even I was surprised when I spun against him in a move so similar to the way he'd twisted me in our dance the night prior, but now I pressed my sword against his throat.

His eyes were wide when they met mine. I was panting and exhilarated. A loud thud echoed in the room and I couldn't decipher the noise, my ears pounding with my own heartbeat. Moments passed and I didn't let up the pressure on his neck, when his hand came up to touch my cheek I put two and two together, one hand still holding my wrist the other gently caressing my cheek, he'd dropped his sword.

I looked down and that was my mistake for the moment I did he thrust me away from him, spinning out from him I hit the wall facing it. I wasn't sure who had won at that moment and I didn't care, all I cared about was catching my breath. Slowly I peeled myself from the wall; my palms against the rough stone as if I had to support myself just to stand up. The game apparently wasn't over as my own sword slipped between my torso and the wall and Sesshoumaru's firm chest pressed against my back, trapping me between the steel and his torso. I stared down at the weapon as if it had betrayed me. I still had to support myself and now I felt like I needed to push back, to push him away from me, making my arms shake as he lay against me. His breathing was in my ear, soft, gentle, not the ragged pants I was barely managing to maintain. The tip of the sword rubbed against my neck, my instinct making me tilt my head back and exposed my throat to the weapon, thinking about it made it seem illogical, but I knew it was a response to keep the point from tearing into my flesh. He pushed it up further until the back of my head grazed his shoulder. He must have been crouching or something to manage the position. His mouth was like fire when he kissed my ear, nibbling the lobe so tenderly; I cooed a sound foreign to my own ears. Though I had caught my breath, my heart was still pounding, finding a new reason to pump so vigorously. His free hand joined the sword, dancing his claws against my exposed neck. I shivered, or maybe I was trembling. A claw touched my lip, realizing my mouth was hanging open, panting like a dog. His claws stroked my neck and chin while the blade shifted, moving down and slanting horizontally over my stomach and pushing, not hard, but enough that I tried to forcibly push my hips and back into Sesshoumaru's. He growled in my ear from the action, but didn't lighten up on the pressure at my waist, keeping me wedged tightly against him. The claws at my throat slowly moved down, dancing threateningly down my neck and collar, disappearing into my kimono I could feel him toying with the binding over my breasts, slowly working at wedging his fingers beneath the tight fabric.

"Noo... dunn't…" I whimpered halfheartedly, feelingly like I should be resistant given the situation. Then his hand left me and the sword hit the ground. I was left blinking, staring at the wall, my senses trying to cut a hole through the fog in my head. I twisted around and leaned my back against the wall. Sesshoumaru was standing several feet from me, watching me, no emotion on his face but a sort of tension hidden in his eyes. Confusion clouded my thoughts, desperately trying to piece together the last several seconds and what had happened to make him let go, to quit like that?

"Sesshoumaru…?" I whispered as if that would answer my confusion.

He watched me for a moment before responding, "Yes, Kagome?"

But I didn't know what to say, how to answer, he'd just quit, why did he quit? The answer rung in my head, I just didn't believe it – because I'd told him too. I touched my arms, feeling awkward as I rubbed my thighs together. I couldn't possibly tell him I wanted him to continue. I gnawed my lip and silence stretched between us.

"What is it, Kagome?" I looked up; meeting his eyes, there was no grin, no comical joke to this, just his blank face. "Tell me what you want." I shivered at his words. I wanted so very much and it was too naughty for me to speak out loud, I couldn't ask him to do it, I just couldn't!

I shook my head and squinted my eyes, wanting him to understand through osmosis. "Are you certain there's nothing you want?" I looked up at him desperately and he did smile then a soft knowing smile, I sealed my eyes again.

"You jerk!" I yelled at him and he laughed, straight up laughed, I stared at him unbelieving that he was laughing at me.

"We're leaving to collect your shards, go prepare yourself." Again I was caught off guard, having to swallow the fact that he seriously wasn't going to do anything else. With as much dignity as I could I left the room, walking not running. He laughed again and the sound made my shoulders tense and my sex tremble. Damn him.

I had to take another bath because I was coated in a layer of my own sweat. The water was warm and crystal clear as always, sliding in it took all the tension from my shoulders and made it melt away. I moaned the effects of Sesshoumaru's teasing still tickling my thighs and lips. I closed my eyes gently and touched my sex, sliding my finger up and down the slit. The coos that came from me were almost animal, why had that been such a tease? Such torture…. It reminded me of when we first started this… relationship if that's what it could be called. All the teasing he inflicted upon me, while torturous was amazingly sexy and arousing. Spreading my lips I barely got to touch my clit when the water moved and I all but jumped out of my skin. Sesshoumaru slid into the water across from me, stark naked.

"Don't let me stop you." He said with a grin. What was with him! What was he doing!

I don't know why but I covered my chest and squeezed my legs together, "What are you doing here?" I demanded, feeling my face flush red as a tomato. What game was he playing?

"I could have sworn this was my palace and for that much, my personal bath… Where else would I bathe?" I glared at him.

"Please, continue." The word please was foreign on his lips and damn sexy I almost wanted to do as he asked and continue. His eyes narrowed sexily and I couldn't help but blush deeper as they slid down my body, eating up whatever exposed flesh I couldn't hide. I felt like a virgin all over again.

"Why are you doing this?" I whimpered feeling like a helpless school girl in front of this demon lord all over again.

A moment of silence stretched between us and my lady parts cried for attention. "Would you rather I ravage you?"

Yes… "Of course not… but…." I had no words, I was lying, I did want him to ravage me, I wanted him to dominate me, but even though my clouded perverted mind I had a feeling this wasn't about sex. No, it was about the grudge I was holding against him for shoving me off a cliff. I didn't want to think about that though, I wanted to think about his hard body against my soft little one, rubbing me, taking me, dominating me. I shivered and gnawed on my lower lip. He was doing this to make a point, what point? That he wouldn't hurt me? Maybe to prove that he'd stop when I said no like he had in the dojo….

"Damn it, Sesshoumaru! I can't trust you!" I got out of the water and left, my thoughts were making me angrier, there was no confusion in his aura when I left, I had been right, that's what it was about. I stood in our shared room naked and wet, crossing my arms over my chest I stood there like a moron because I hadn't thought far enough ahead to grab a towel. Tears clouded my vision and my heart felt like it was swelling to break my ribs. I wanted to be having sex with that sexy demon right now, not crying because he was a cold hearted asshole.

I went to the wardrobe to find a similar outfit to the one I had earlier this one was blue and black though. My hair was soaking wet and right now I didn't care, I brushed out as much excess water as I could and then tied it up. Frustrated and a bit angry I left the room and wet downstairs, waiting by the main doors. I closed my eyes and struggled to will away the emotions that were bringing me down instead focused on auras, on reading power and magic and worked at stretching out my range, searching for the feel of a jewel shard. I dunno how long I sat there or how much time was spent on just trying to stretch out my range, but when I opened my eyes Sango and Miroku were sitting by me quietly, Ai was standing nearby, all of them dressed in traveling wear. Sango in her usual kimono her slayer's uniform peeking out, Miroku in his usual robes and then Ai dressed in a very, very short kimono with what looked like bandages wrapping around each legs to just above her knees, done in white and lavender she looked like the mythical creature I knew her to be: an elf. Ai smiled at me, two bows slung over her shoulder and two quivers of arrows, when I met her eyes she moved to me to give me the extra equipment, I guess we were leaving soon.

"Did you find anything?" Miroku asked me. I nodded but didn't elaborate, afraid my voice would betray the emotions I was desperately trying to hide and not even sure I was succeeding.

"Caim is staying here with Naomi. Sesshoumaru didn't seem to mind, I think Sesshoumaru rather likes Caim even if he isn't too fond of Seyerna." I looked at Ai, she might have been the newest to our band of misfits but she was apparently extremely observant. She smiled at me and I noticed her ear wiggle, seeing the full length of the elf ear for the first time; when had the concealing spell been broken? Her smile showed her plain teeth, no more fangs and a glance to her hands told me she had no claws. Seyerna had rather large ears I thought, but Ai's were quite a bit longer. I stared at her for a long moment, until it became awkward and her smile changed to curiosity. That smile. Did she know her sister was probably dead? What other reason would she have to break the spell other than she knew Naraku no longer had a hold over her? Had I been so absorbed in my own problems I didn't even see her mourn her sister's – likely – death? My heart shuttered; did I dare take the chance that she didn't know just to coddle her and hope to help her feel better when she may not even know? I didn't dare, not when there was still a chance she was alive. Then again, would Ai take the chance of exposing herself and going so far as to help us hunt jewel shards if she didn't know?

I could hear Shippo's voice from down the hall, chatting away as he came closer I saw him perched on Rin's shoulder the little girl laughing and giggling at whatever they were talking about, Kirara was in full form walking beside them, Rin's hand gently stroking the cat as they walked. I smiled; they were all so cute together. Several steps behind them was Tsumi, smiling gently at the children as they chattered away. They were feet from me when Shippo dove from Rin's shoulder and into my lap; I hugged the kit as tightly as I could. "Lady Tsumi's been watching over us. Sesshoumaru told us she was to be our care taker." No wonder Shippo didn't hunt me down and glue himself to my leg.

"You will be staying here?" It was a question but at the same time I tried to make it more of a suggestion. It would give me peace of mind to know he was safe here, and Rin too.

He nodded excitedly at me, "Lady Tsumi said according to Kitsune growth I should be hitting a growth spur soon." He was almost jumping up and down in my lap. A growth spur, huh? It was almost depressing to think he wouldn't be my cute little shoulder fox, but at the same time his excitement was impossible not to smile over. I kissed his forehead and pulled Rin over and kissed her forehead as well. They both giggled and hugged me tight. I wanted to mother them both and be there for them always but unfortunately Naraku had to come first.

Sesshoumaru destroyed the sentimental moment when he came walking up, glaring down at the children, Shippo curled closer to me but Rin ran to him and squeezed his leg. He stroked her hair and told her to go to Tsumi. I willed Shippo to follow Rin; reluctantly he obeyed. Kirara had shifted down and positioned herself beneath Sango's hair.

I stared up at Sesshoumaru as he walked by us, I guess we were to follow him and so we did, the new band of misfits gathered to our feet and followed our new… leader I guess….


End file.
